After Setback, 7-Foot-3 Texas Recruit Achieves Dream of Becoming Police Officer

After missing the state licensing exam by a single point, Jordan Wilmore received encouragement and financial support from Shaquille O'Neal before achieving his dream of becoming a Kemah police officer.
July 8, 2026
2 min read
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3-Bullet Summary

  • Kemah police swore in 25-year-old Jordan Wilmore, a 7-foot-3 officer who is believed to be the tallest police officer in the department's history.
  • Wilmore achieved his goal after narrowly failing the Texas licensing exam by one point last year, then receiving encouragement and financial support from NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal while preparing to retake the test.
  • Despite the attention surrounding his height, Wilmore said his focus is on serving the community and making a difference as a police officer.

More on OFFICER.com

NBA Legend Shaquille O'Neal to Help Texas Police Recruit Pass Exam after Falling Short by a Point

  • The current NBA analyst has agreed to cover a Kemah police recruit's living expenses for several months so he can prepare to retake the state exam, which he missed passing by a point.

When citizens of a Texas community talk about the long arm of the law, they could be referring to its newest police officer.

Jordan Wilmore, a 7-foot, 3-inch tall 25-year-old, was sworn in as a Kemah police officer Tuesday, KHOU-TV reports. He not only becomes the department's newest officer, but also it's tallest. Ever.

"I'm just trying to get to work and do my dream job. Finally," he told KHOU.

This isn't the first time Wilmore has tried to become a police officer. Last year, he completed police academy training, but he missed passing the state licensing exam by a point.

After that setback, Wilmore received some encouragement from someone who knows what it's like to tower over others: NBA legend Shaquille O'Neal. A longtime supporter of law enforcement who has held honorary or reserve roles with multiple agencies, O'Neal became a mentor for Wilmore, agreeing to cover his living expenses for several months while he prepared to retake the exam.

"My confidence kind of lacked at first, and then I had to regain it and say, just never give up," Wilmore said. "I've never been known to be a quitter."

O'Neal hasn't been the only one impressed by Wilmore's determination. That quality has also grabbed the attention of his new chief. 

"He really wants to get out there and make a difference," said Chief Raymond Garivey.

For Tuesday's ceremony, Wilmore sported a custom-made uniform, and O'Neal has said he would provide a special cruiser to accommodate his height. But Wilmore has other aspirations than being known as possibly law enforcement's tallest officer.

"I didn't really become a police officer just to arrest people," he said. "I just want to be a community officer, as well."

About the Author

Joe Vince
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Joe Vince

Joining Endeavor Business Media in 2018, Joe has worked on the company's city services publications. He began working at OFFICER.com as the assistant editor. Before starting at Endeavor, Joe had worked for a variety of print and online news outlets, including the Indianapolis Star, the South Bend Tribune, Reddit and Patch.com.
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