My point of view exactly, Coldcaser. He could be a cop. He could also work for the Park Service. He could be a doctor with an inflated sense of self- importance and an exaggerated history to back it up. He could even be a politician, or the owner of a talent agency.
As an aside, I read a post from someone on a law enforcement site who was a seasonal park ranger. This poster stated that he wanted to wear a garrison belt to carry his gear on, but the boss told him no. He was asking LEO's if they thought it would be appropriate for him to wear it anyway. Naturally, the LEO's replied that he should do whatever the boss said he should do, but they also offered more appropriate mesh type belts, and inquired why this guy was so fixated on a garrison belt. The guy replied that he felt the garrison belt gave him an air of authority with the people he encountered, and also made him feel more confident. The LEO's picked up on this guy in an instant..." So, you're a wannabe cop basically ? That it ?". As I was reading this exchange, I thought to myself , boy...same mindset as LISK. He's not what he wants to be in his real life, not powerful, not respected, not given the due he feels he should be given, so he puts on a " garrison belt " and suddenly he's THE MAN. See where I'm going with this ?
Someone like LISK is a man who ultimately knows he is weak, pathetic, unimportant, and unimpressive. I believe he sees the GB4 and his getting away with murder thus far as his life's magnum opus. He hates women, and he has achieved being the "best" at hating women the most. He sees himself as one of the "best" serial killers because he's evaded capture, captivated the minds of many, and has inflicted so much suffering upon his victims and their families in life and death. He likely views himself as being in the pantheon of prolific serial killers like Bundy, BTK, DeAngelo, etc. He has little else to be proud of in his life.
This is part of why I believe he falls closer to the middle class socioeconomic bracket rather than upper middle to upper class. I think his anger is caused by a lack of agency over his own life, which likely includes economic agency. Another reason I suspect he is closer to middle class is that he is willing to brave the environment of Ocean Parkway and knows how to get through the brush and what to wear to avoid unnecessary injuries or getting poison ivy/poison oak. He is comfortable in the outdoors and in a harsh environment, and knows that using burlap both allows aeration to hasted decay and camouflages the bodies with the rest of the flora. So park service, as you mentioned, seems plausible to me. Whatever job he holds, it is likely one that gives
him a feeling of power, not one that necessarily has any power. He could be something like a manager, which allows him to feel like he has power, but the scope of that power is small, and he ultimately knows that. Knowing that deep down breeds more anger and rage, which he then directs at those around him.
We also know that he has some knowledge of police procedures (as he was able to avoid his calls being traced) and a decent grasp of technology with a particular interest in phones and the internet. I'm willing to bet he has a close relative or friend who's LE. That seasonal park ranger has exactly the kind of mentality I think LISK has, I think you're right on the money. This guy likely doesn't actually have any power, he just wishes he did and acts like he does. My mind just keeps going to Dennis Rader being described as a "strict and overzealous" dogcatcher who enjoyed harassing women and was said to have shot a woman's dog for no reason.
