Last year, drummer Jeremy Spencer surprised fans when he permanently exited his longtime band Five Finger Death Punch. Now, the metal musician has traded in his drumsticks for a baton, as he has become a reserve police officer in Rockport, Indiana.
Spencer revealed the news via his Instagram page, with a picture of him in uniform, and the following statement: “I was recently sworn in as a Reserve Police Officer of the Rockport, Indiana Police Department by city Mayor Gay Ann Harney. I’m still a resident of Las Vegas, NV, but It’s an honor to be able to come back to this area when I can and serve the community as a reserve police officer and help out my brothers.”
The drummer, who had sat out much of the band’s 2018 touring after undergoing back surgery, announced his departure from FFDP in December, stating, “This decision has been weighing on me for months; and now the time has finally come. I started to play when I was 6 years old, and I feel fortunate that my body has provided me with several decades of doing what I love most: drumming. However, the rigorous physical wear and tear has got me to the point where I feel I can no longer deliver a performance that brings me satisfaction and joy.”
In an interview with local NBC affiliate WFIE, Spencer said, “I’m basically taking what I did in the band and just applying it to [being a police officer], and trying to do the best I can. You just see the impact [the officers] have on everyone’s life. It’s so important.”
While he’s no longer in FFDP, Spencer told WFIE that he is still taking on music projects in Las Vegas, and will juggle his time between Sin City and Rockport.
Charlie “The Engine” Engen filled in for Spencer on FFDP’s 2018 tour, and it was recently revealed that Engen will lay down drum tracks for the band’s upcoming eighth album.
