Jewell Quits Quest To Wear Police Uniform

Richard Jewell, the onetime suspect in the Olympic Park bombing, said Tuesday he’s abandoned his dream of becoming a police officer.

“I’m ruined. No police chief wants someone working for them that has had the press that I’ve had,” he said.

Jewell said he’s applied for openings but has gotten no response.

“It doesn’t take much to figure out what’s going on,” he said during an interview at his attorney’s office.

The 34-year-old said he’ll probably accept an offer of a labor job with a construction company.

Jewell, a security guard during the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, was identified as a suspect three days after the July 27 bombing, which killed one person and injured more than 100 others.

He was initially called a hero for finding the knapsack that contained the bomb, alerting police and helping people to safety, but then was tailed by the FBI and reporters after his name was leaked as a suspect.

Jewell was cleared by the Justice Department in October.

Jewell reached a settlement with NBC reportedly worth more than $500,000, and a separate settlement with CNN.