Due to the nature of the current climate I can not share this Saint’s name or photo. This is for her protection. Therefore, I will name her Deborah!
Determined
At 5’2 she never thought that she would be a cop because of how she grew up. However, she went to college and graduated with her Bachelors and joined the NYPD police academy the very next month.
She was confident because she grew up in the city and she is a Latina. So she felt that she could identify with the community and make a difference.
Many people around her doubted that she could handle the police academy, but she proved them all wrong.
The Blue Line
Discrimination has never been a problem because she keeps an open mind. There was an incident when the police had to shut down an event of 700 people.
Her commanding officer told her to stay back and watch the van. All the other officers were male and they were big. It made sense for her to stay behind.
“When you are out in the field it’s not about male or female, it’s about common sense. If you use your brain, you will make it”
After 14 years on the force “The Blue Line” is considered family. They have each other’s back while in the streets.
She recalled another incident when she was partnered with another female cop. They received a domestic violence call.
The guy had just been released from prison and he was extremely buff. When he saw two female cops he jumped on the sofa.
Not knowing if he was reaching for a gun, they both jumped on top of him. After wrestling with him and destroying the apartment, they managed to put the cuffs on him.
Meanwhile, one of them called for backup and all the other officers rushed to their aid.
Apparently, if a female officer is on the radio calling for help all the male officers get there 10 times faster. She tries to handle any situation without calling for help unless it is absolutely necessary.
The Frontlines
With so much turmoil going on due to the protest the police are working up to 17 hours straight. At the end of her grueling shift her feet are killing her.
We spoke briefly about what’s going on and the frustrations that she feels during this time.
During the height of the COVID outbreak, there were many prisoners released from NYC jails. On top of that the new bail reform releases newly arrested people into the streets within hours of getting arrested.
Then as a result of the George Floyd protest a new uprising takes place, not just in New York but all over the globe. That has put a negative spotlight on every police officer in this nation once again.
There have been budget cuts within the NYPD due to the “Defund the Police” movement. She explained that many cops feel like why continue to do the job if people don’t want them there.
Deborah is very clear when she states “ it’s easy for everyone to have an opinion when they are not on the frontlines. “
“When a situation arises and your life is in danger, we do not see color, we see the situation in front of us. It’s your actions, not who you are, that makes me react.”
She advises anyone participating in a protest to just listen when the police give instructions.
There is nothing wrong with protesting but it’s important for people to obey.
This will prevent misunderstandings and avoid escalation.
There are times when the cops are almost trampled during the protests, which is a very scary situation for them.
When asked if there is anything she would like to say to anyone reading this she says the following:
“We also are human, we have families that we want to go home to. No cop wakes up thinking they are going to kill someone.”
