​What year did you start?

2003

What did you do previously before WPD?

I was in college and graduated from Wichita State University with a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice. During college and high school I worked for Ellsworth County EMS and Wichita State Police Department.

Why did you want to become a police officer?

I have always felt a calling to be a police officer and I’ve wanted to help people. This job allows for you to help people who are in various situations.  Sometime you see people on what may be the worst day of their life and you have the opportunity to change the course of their life by either getting them in contact with resources that could help them or giving them the encouragement to change their circumstances.

What do you like about being a police officer?

You get to do something different every day. You never know what the next shift will bring.

How has your experience been as a female police officer?

I can say in my experience that I have never felt discriminated against as a female officer. Sometimes a female officer will bring a different perspective or insight to a call that can be very useful. As a female, I think it’s awesome that the Wichita Police Department has drastically hired more females over the last two years. It’s great knowing that the Wichita Police Department is being very proactive in diversifying and trying to mirror the community it serves, hence, hiring more females.

Why should more females think about becoming a police officer?

While this has been a great career for me this is not a career for just anyone. There are obstacles and sacrifices that are made by police officers every day. Officers work 24/7 so there are holidays and family events that are sometimes missed due to this career. But also there is a great sense of family within the department. Family away from home. We help one another with child care issues or everyday life issues. We all help each other with the sacrifices to help one another, the department and the community.

At the same time it can be one of the most rewarding jobs on the planet. You have the opportunity to change someone’s life, to help get them out of a situation when they thought there were no other options. The more diverse a police department is the more successful it will be as the officers can relate better to the community they serve. Having female officers is essential for that diversity.