I am slowly turning my blogs into books via Google's assistance. It's pretty cool actually. I've done the Free Spirit Butterfly Blog and this one is next on my list. Therefore, I wanted to post the below article to have as a keepsake and add to my police scrapbook. Last year our Dispatch Column did a Special Mother's Day Tribute to the Women in Blue and I was blessed enough to be one of the chosen and to share my story. Here goes... warning, it's pretty lenghty.
Mother’s Day tribute to MPD Moms ~
What motivates you to be a police officer?
I am a Christian and the Lord is my
motivation. I was a lost soul and trying
to do everything my way. Specifically,
in the workplace, I had no idea what
delegation meant and assumed that I
could and would do it all. I’ve always
had multiple tasks assigned to me and
thought that it was “my” responsibility
to complete them. I did not know
that I could reach out for help. I never
reached out for help growing up and
that motto followed me into my adult
life.
Does being a mom make you a better officer?
More compassionate? Committed?
Being a mother makes me a great
law enforcement officer. I have so much
compassion for our youth. It literally
breaks my heart when I see the morning
juvenile reports with young faces of
those arrested the night before. I keep
asking myself, “Where are their parents.
Don’t they care?” But the compassionate
side of me knows that most of
them are from broken homes and most
likely a mother that has to work to provide
for her family. Some people think
that a Boys and Girls Club would solve
the problem. The problem lies in the
parents’ responsibility to get the child/
children involved in the church, which
will in turn, get them involved in their
community.
Describe one of your most challenging
situations on the job.
My most challenging tasks were
not as a street officer. It was within the
lines of management. I was tasked to
be the A/Lt. for the First District Investigative
Unit on January 11, 2009
and, boy, was I was mad. I had no desire
to do it and I literally had a tantrum.
I wanted to remain the Sergeant
— only be responsible for my duties
and did not want to answer directly to
the Command Staff. I had no choice
but to go to my Bible and ask God,
“Why me? You know I don’t like to be
in the spotlight. Please, ask someone
else.” With that being said, I decided
to journal about the experience and
document my good and bad days. After
the good days started to out-number
the bad ones, I stopped journaling
and started embracing the gift that
God had given me. The ability to do it
with his assurance that He would be
by me every step of the way. I am not a
public speaker and I have done at least
six PowerPoint presentations and the
words spoken were not my own. Not
that I wasn’t nervous each and every
time, but God will give you the confidence
you need if you would ask!
How does your occupation impact your
children’s lives?
I am so very fortunate in this aspect.
My kids have watched me work
hard all my life. They probably thought
that I was doing my very best to provide
for them. But in actuality, I was
trying to prove to myself that because
my father left me when I was two, that I
could make something of myself without
his presence. It wasn’t until I met
my birth father in 2003 that I realized
that I didn’t have to prove anything to
anyone, including myself. Knowing
that allowed me to stop working overtime
as much as I used to and to enjoy
being a mom to my kids. Before, I was
never really present. I was there but
I was irritable and tired all the time.
Then I became more available; much
more relaxed, which afforded me the
quality time to really listen when they
were talking and not think about the
next thing on my to-do list.
What aspect of your profession are your
kids most curious about? Would you encourage
them to follow in your footsteps
I can honestly say that my kids
have never had any specific curiosities
about my career. When I joined the
department, they were two and eight.
All they every wanted was my safe return
home at the end of each tour.
As far as following in my footsteps,
I would not encourage that. Being an
officer was my desire since my early
years and I think that they would have
chosen my same path by now. My desire
stemmed from watching my stepdad
come home in a police cruiser,
looking really sharp in his uniform. I
have always encouraged my children
to do whatever it was that their hearts
desired and to be the very best at that.
That is something that I wish my parents
would have told me growing up.
If they had, maybe I would have been
a reporter, interviewing members of
MPDC from the other side of the microphone.
What role does law enforcement play
in nurturing and building character in
young people?
I think today’s role in law enforcement
would best be served if we were
consistent in our actions and in our
duty to serve. I mean that in a professional
and positive way. Some of us
have truly lost the excitement and zest
that we possessed early on in our careers.
It may not be as much fun as you
grow older, but in my opinion, I think
that it is still rewarding.
I can honestly say that although
I am looking forward to my retirement,
I am still committed to coming
to work each and every day, completing
my assigned task, helping others
in any way that I can, and continuing
to pray that I can save at least one soul
from a life of violence. If I can assist in
finding justice for one victim during
his or her time of despair, then I can go
home at the end of that day, knowing
that I made a difference someone’s life.
What things do you do to be a role
model for your children/other young
people?
As a role model, I think that I have
been gifted with compassion and the
ability to listen. My sisters, MPD family,
and even strangers are compelled
to share very personal parts of their
lives and that makes me feel that they
can trust me. Oftentimes, I don’t know
what makes a person walk up to me
and share an intimate part of themselves,
but I can only assume that from
character, demeanor and spirit, they
see someone who is doing her very
best to live a life of authenticity and integrity.
