MODESTO, Calif. — EDITOR'S NOTE: ABC10 recently spoke to Officer Juan Arroyo, who is returning to full duty with the Modesto Police Department after a horrifying car accident in his patrol car over a year ago nearly took his life.
From playing on the streets of Modesto as kids to patrolling them – the Arroyo brothers do everything together.
Luis and Juan Arroyo are identical twin brothers who have been officers with the Modesto Police Department for several years. “It makes for an easier time when he’s around,” Juan Arroyo, the younger of the two, said.
But it hasn't always been easy for the twins who have defied the odds. Luis and Juan were born three months premature -- a minute apart from one another.
They were raised by an immigrant farm working family in a rough south Modesto neighborhood.
“We knew we wanted to get out of there and provide a better future,” Luis said. Juan believes their story is one of success. “Very few people get out of that environment. We made it through the system.”
As teenagers, they both started as police explorers to try and make a difference in their community. Juan took the lead and then Luis followed in his brother’s footsteps.
“I started when I was 15 and a half, [Luis] started when he was 16,” recalled Juan.
Now in their mid-twenties, they're examples of what hard work and sacrifice will get you. But even as officers, their sibling rivalry remains as strong as ever.
“We all know I'm the better one, at least I get it a lot,” Luis joked. “Better looking, better at work.”
While Juan's eyeglasses help set him apart from his twin, some coworkers still get them confused. So they worked something out.
“We have name tags that have our 1st initial, last name and I carry yellow Taser, he carries a black Taser,” Luis said.
Differences aside, at the end of the day they both look out for one another -- knowing the risks involved in being crime fighters.
“We worry about everybody but more so I worry about him. Whenever I hear something big going on, I try to call him or text him and see if he's involved just because he's my brother,” Juan said.
That brotherly bond is strengthened by their commitment to serve and protect.