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"I get more satisfaction out of this job, despite the fact that I deal with the negative side of life, than I have from anything else I've done."
Criminal justice workers do a variety of different types of jobs
including, crime prevention, investigations, law enforcement, working
with people who are in correctional facilities or on parole, and working
with troubled youth.
"I'm not afraid. I qualified with a 98.6%, which means that within two
bullets, somebody is going to be dead, and it ain't going to be me."
Officer Trish De Land is not mean, cocky or arrogant. As a law enforcement officer she has been trained to respond defensively, using force if necessary, to deter crime. Expertise with a weapon, among many other skills, is what it takes to feel confident as a law enforcement officer. To be willing to lay down your life to protect and defend another officer and yourself against a violent criminal is the reality and the requirement for service.
Trish always knew she wanted to be in law enforcement. While other children played in the park, Trish followed the police officer around, asking to go for rides in the patrol car. She didn't want power or control. She wanted to be a part of making the community safe. As an adult, she worked at other jobs, but the desire never diminished.
The criminal justice program at the community college prepared her to work in a field that brings her enormous satisfaction. Working the graveyard shift for five years, Trish is responsible for the safety and security of the County Jail. She books prisoners, both men and women, maintains control of them while they are in and releases them when it's time. She has the authority to tell the inmates what to do, but she does not carry a weapon on the job.
Communication is important in her field. To overcome her shyness, Trish took speech classes at the community college where she says she learned to organize her thoughts and speak clearly. Her duties are specific and loaded with rules, procedures and precautions. Any break in the system invites danger. This constant jeopardy makes most people nervous, but Trish is not. Never has been. She has broken up fights and been decked by inmates, but her eyes are calm and steady. "Backup is never far away. You have to believe in your fellow officers. But most importantly, you have to believe in yourself."
Women are expected to nurture, but this job requires distance. Trish lost a sister to drugs and her death adds another dimension to her work. "I thought I'd have a problem with drug dealers, but I'm not allowed to pass judgements, so I don't. The justice system works, and they pay their price."
Trish adds, "My family and friends say that there's a transformation when I put on my uniform. If I die while doing my job, I've died doing what I want to do. I have no regrets."
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