drew peterson graduated in 1972 from willowbrook high school in villa park, illinois, where he ran cross country. he joined the u.s. army after graduation and briefly attended the college of dupage in 1974 before moving to falls church, virginia to train as a military police officer. peterson began his 30-year career with the local police force in bolingbrook, illinois (a suburb of chicago) in 1977. in 1978, he was assigned to the metropolitan area narcotics squad, and in 1979, he received a "police officer of the year" award from the department. peterson retired in november 2007 at age 53 with the rank of sergeant and was given a (tax-free) $79,000-a-year pension (almost $6,600-a-month). his pension was terminated following his second conviction in may 2016.