Honoring & Highlighting Police Women

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Retired Chief of Police Kristen Ziman kicks off Season 3 with a riveting episode. Kristen broke the glass ceiling by becoming the first woman Chief of Police in the Aurora Police Department, Illinois. Kristen didn't have an obstacle-free road, but she certainly left a footprint! Kristen shares with us how her father, a police officer, and "Karen," a patrol officer, inspired her. She shares her journey in the law enforcement world, from being ignored to being told to not even  bother putting in for a job (promotion), to using "criticism" as her fuel and climbing the ladder like no other woman in the Aurora PD had. She tells us anecdotes from chasing a guy to running a command post as her officers are under fire, and we touch the surface on  the 30x30 initiative, leadership, and defunding the police. 

Lindsay McCall Long is a former police officer, who after nearly 17 years of public service, had to make the challenging decision to retire. Lindsay was shot in the line of duty while responding to a domestic violence call in 2018, after 14 years of service. Lindsay gets real in this episode and shared with us her personal life. From growing up with parents in the music industry, remember MC Hammer?! To opening up about incidents that changed her life, from losing her father at the age of 17, to losing a colleague just before she got shot herself. She also talks to us about motherhood and postpartum depression, and what it was like to be a woman of color in law enforcement. Lindsay also reminds us to be human and treat others as such--sometimes all it takes, is to call people by their names to get them to listen. Lindsay is now a key note speaker at many events, and she and her husband talk about trauma, resiliency and survival! You can learn more about Lindsay by visiting her website https://lindsaytalks.com. 

Former Law Enforcement Jess Flores opens up about law enforcement not being for everyone. Jess began her LEO journey at the tender of 21- it was a 9 and a half-year road of self-discovery and most importantly, realizing little by little that she was not destined to a career in a police department. She talks to us about the Academy, challenges and successes experienced in her police department, to include being shot at and later suffering a hand injury--all factors that confirmed her decision to leave the force. She and I also talk about domestic violence and how being in an abusive relationship affected her perceptions when responding to DV calls. Something extremely important to realize for all officers, as your mindset will affect and personal challenges can transfer into your work impacting it negatively. Years after leaving the law enforcement world, Jess reinvented herself as a transition coach catering to law enforcement officers and others who are either contemplating if they should leave the force or how to handle the civilian world. *This episode contains words that some might find offensive, listening discretion is advised.

Nicole Romero, retired police officer from the Miami-Dade Police Department (MDPD), joined me to share her journey, from going through both the #MDPD and the Miami Fire and Rescue application process, to medically retiring after 12 years of service. Nicole opens up about what it was like to go through the MDPD Academy as a single mom and the tragic accident that ended her career. Nicole and I talk about her first assignment and how being in a high-crime area really means "hit the ground running" and truly learning how to investigate shootings, gangs, and dealing with crime scenes.  We also talked about challenges women in law enforcement face--challenges not in leadership or ascending the ladder, but ones that can keep you alive--like staying in shape, weapon retention, and having presence. Tune in today to listen to her inspiring story! #MiamiDadePD #womeninlawenforcement #truestories #womenempowerment

Kelsey Serck is a warrior! She is a badass young police woman, who battled stage IV cancer at the young age of 16. Kelsey's long  cancer journey along with the inspiration of her cousin, a police officer, are what led her to join law enforcement and want to serve at the Department of Veteran Affairs Police Department. Kelsey serves with compassion and empathy, attributes that are needed in all of us not only in law enforcement, but as a society. She serves the backbone of our country, veterans in crisis.  Kelsey has been with the department for two years and in her short tenure, Kelsey's contribution to law enforcement are tangible as she created the program "coffee with a cop;" and, she attends as many trainings as possible in order to grow and be able to share her knowledge with others--a leader in the making. Prior to joining the Department of Veteran Affairs Police Department, Kelsey  joined the Minnehaha County Police Reserves program to gain experience in law enforcement, as an Adult Protective Specialist for the State of South Dakota, and as a 911 Dispatcher. She also interned with the Children’s Miracle Network to be able to give back to other families whose children are battling cancer. Tune in today to listen to her inspiring episode! #veterans #policewoman #veteranaffairs #cancerwarrior 

Ivonne Roman, Maureen "Mo" McGaugh, and Tanya Meisenholder are making waves and shifting the policing culture! They are committed to changing the policing world for women through their 30x30 initiative, which hundreds of USA local, state, federal and even Canadian law enforcement agencies have joined. The 30x30 aims to increase women in law enforcement agencies by 30% by 2030--but their main objective is not to just recruit and check the box! A significant part of the initiative's mission is to change the environment for women in policing-- a conducive environment that meets women's physical needs and which is safe. We are different! There is no denying it and we require a space that allows us to grow and thrive as women officers,  from being given training opportunities,  the opportunity to promote and advanced in our careers, the right equipment to be safe and work more effectively,  the necessary facilities (breastfeeding, locker rooms, etc.), and most importantly a space where we feel psychologically safe.  Tune in to this amazing episode and visit https://30x30initiative.org/ to learn more.