Metra cop, 'Top Shot' contestant honors his mentor

Growing up in Chicago, Eric "Iggy" Keyes developed a fascination with guns. But since his mother didn't want her young son to have a BB gun, Keyes had to settle for toy guns, cap guns and the like.

"I'd go in the backyard and shoot cans," Keyes said.

No one could have known back then that this love of guns would come in handy not only in Keyes' career as a police officer, but also in his future role as a reality TV star.

The 40-year-old Keyes will compete in the upcoming season of "Top Shot," which airs on the History Channel beginning Feb. 14. Contestants on the show engage in various shooting challenges until one person remains and claims the $100,000 top prize. The program is hosted by former "Survivor" contestant Colby Donaldson.

Keyes is a former U.S. Army Reservist. He served as a patrolman, SWAT officer and homicide detective with the Harvey Police Department. He's now a member of the Metra Railroad Police Department.

Although the father of three is about to gain celebrity status, he has not forgotten his roots. He recently presented Steger police Officer Brian Smith with a signed polo shirt from the show. Keyes wore it during filming last year. The shirt reads: "Thanks for a lifetime of knowledge and friendship. I would not have been a Top Shot if not for you."

Smith, 58, is a patrolman with the Steger Police Department. Previously, he spent 30 years with the Chicago Heights Police Department before serving as police chief in the village of Glenwood.

Since 1980, Smith has taught a ju-jitsu martial arts class with the Chicago Heights Park District. It was through that class that Smith met the then 19-year-old Keyes, who expressed an interest in guns and law enforcement. Smith, a certified firearms instructor, began to teach Keyes the basics of shooting and took him to competitions.

"He took me under his wing and basically showed me the ropes, showed me the right way," Keyes said. "He put more time into me, as far as shooting, than I believe he had to."

Smith said Keyes was not a great shot in the beginning.

"Oh man, he was terrible," Smith said. "He needed a lot of improvement and he knew that. The thing is, he kept coming out practicing with us. He went out and sought other instructions, too, and he developed his own style. And now he's outdoing all of us. We're really very proud of him."

But Keyes is just one of Smith's success stories.

"I've had about 34 of them that joined that (ju-jitsu) class as kids and later became police officers because of our direction in the class," Smith said.

Receiving firearms instruction instills discipline in young people, according to Smith.

"It takes away the curiosity of guns," he said.

As a rule of competing on the show, Keyes cannot disclose how he fared since the show has not yet aired.

"It's going to be a blast," Keyes said. "If you liked last season, you'll love this season."

He said he took part in the show for the competition but ended up making friends along the way.

"It was very much like an experience of a lifetime," Keyes said. "To get in the show itself wasn't easy, but I felt good that I made it. At that point, I really felt on top of the world."

Keyes describes himself as a "close-quarter combat shooter."

"If I'm close up to you, I'm very accurate and very fast," he said.

Keyes described Smith as "a man who would give you the shirt off his back," and he said Smith was touched when Keyes literally did that for Smith in presenting him with the "Top Shot" shirt.

"There was no way on earth I could have not showed him my appreciation," Keyes said.

Smith called Keyes giving him the signed shirt "the greatest compliment in the whole world."

"It was hard to hold back tears when he gave me that," Smith said. "Just to be recognized that I was part of his life."