My career in law enforcement began right out of college when I went to work at my local police department. Over 24 years, I had a very rewarding and challenging experience. I served as a K-9 officer for 14 years, was promoted to a supervisor position and later became a detective sergeant. I enjoyed challenging myself and helping others.
I took pride in helping people when they were at their lowest. Once, we received a call about a family that hadn't paid their utility bills at their apartment. When we arrived, we realized that they didn't speak English and had just moved to the United States. They didn't understand that they needed to pay their utility bills separately from their rent - it was an oversight. They had young children, and no electricity during a very cold winter. Instead of just shifting the responsibility and saying it's not our problem, we worked with them. We got them a hotel, dinner and assistance through community partners.
The feeling that you could make a difference and impact your community in a positive way was the best part of serving in law enforcement. But there were many challenges, the biggest being its effect on your own family. You miss a lot of birthdays, holidays, sporting events and times when your family needs you. Sometimes you work longer shifts and you can get called away in a moment's notice. And nobody ever calls first responders because they're having a good day - you see a lot of bad things, society at its worst.
Law enforcement is a unique calling, and it has a shelf life. At the end of my career, I was faced with a dilemma. How do I translate my experiences and training from law enforcement into a successful civilian career? Sometimes we can get pigeon-holed into our respective career fields and that can limit us, making us feel that our skills aren't useful in any other job. That's not true. First responders are great decision makers, and excel at conflict resolution and interpersonal communication. In our law enforcement culture, we work to a high ethical standard and can bring many positive traits to the private sector.
After I retired, I was fortunate to find a job at L3Harris. It's a tremendous relief having work/life balance and weekends to spend with my family. I am proud to be a member of the Supporting Emergency Responders and Veterans Engagement (SERVE) Employee Resource Group (ERG) and hope to mentor fellow first responders as they transition from public service into the private sector. I came here feeling like I would still have a purpose. I still have a role in helping others and I hope other first responders will understand how valuable their skills can be in the business world.
More from Harris
17/04/2024
L3Harris Communications Australia Field Service support continues to grow with a...
17/04/2024
An optical technician lays on a diving board suspended between NASAs Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescopes primary and secondary mirrors. The photo is a projected ...
16/04/2024
Women's Global Gathering Shaping the Future Space Workforce panel particip...
15/04/2024
LONDONDERRY, N.H., April 15, 2024 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) received a $256 million order from the U.S. Army for continued production of the Enhanced N...
10/04/2024
The final Delta IV Heavy rocket takes flight from Cape Canaveral Space Force in Florida carrying a classified payload for the National Reconnaissance Office. Ph...
10/04/2024
Our Cross-track Infrared Sounder is a mission-critical instrument in the Joint P...
10/04/2024
NASA's Space Launch System rocket carrying the Orion spacecraft launches on the Artemis I flight test, Wednesday, Nov. 16, 2022, from Launch Complex 39B at ...
10/04/2024
On April 9, Communication Systems President Sam Mehta spoke with CNBC reporter E...
09/04/2024
In the ever-evolving landscape of maritime defense, innovation is paramount to staying ahead of emerging threats. L3Harris has been at the forefront of this mis...
08/04/2024
From the dawn of the space age, space objects have traveled along predictable, gravity-driven paths first defined by the German Renaissance astronomer and mathe...
08/04/2024
L3Harris Technologies collaborates with Performance Marine to showcase Unmanned ...
05/04/2024
As the April 8 total solar eclipse brings celestial thrills to Earth, L3Harris t...
05/04/2024
MELBOURNE, Fla., April 5, 2024 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has signed a d...
04/04/2024
After successfully completing 45 development tests and 24 certification tests at...
03/04/2024
Kathy Crandall credits her success as a leader to the fundamentals: Mastering every role she's held and building a network of mentors to guide her growth....
01/04/2024
1 April 2024 marks 100 years of service for the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF). In honour of this significant milestone and as a proud partner of the RCAF for ...
01/04/2024
MELBOURNE, Fla., April 1, 2024 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) will release first quarter 2024 financial results on Thursday, April 25, 2024, after market cl...
29/03/2024
L3Harris has proudly maintained Canada's CF-188 Hornet fleet for 38 years. Credit: Stocktrek Images, Inc. / Alamy Stock Photo....
28/03/2024
L3Harris is upgrading critical electronic warfare systems to ensure the iconic aircrafts spectrum superiority for decades to come....
28/03/2024
L3Harris' WESCAM MX-Series EO/IR systems have supported the RCAF for more than 25 years....
27/03/2024
I'm proud to be a woman in aerospace making an impact on our world and among my peers, team and future generations of women in STEM....
26/03/2024
The WESCAM MX -GCS EO/IR Independent Stabilized Sighting Systems - ideal for gunner sight, commander sight and situational awareness missions....
25/03/2024
As we celebrate courageous women this Women's History Month and throughout the year, L3Harris Technologies honors the brave female firefighters who've c...
25/03/2024
Teaming Up to Transform Tactical Command and Control...
25/03/2024
He writes in Breaking Defense: Successful implementation of the National Defense...
19/03/2024
The L3Harris RF-7850 Family of Radios has been widely adopted due to the essenti...
12/03/2024
A new order provides updated terminals for in-field use at the tactical edge....
11/03/2024
MELBOURNE, Fla., March 11, 2024 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) has published its annual Sustainability Report, highlighting the company's Environmental,...
07/03/2024
U.S. Marines fire the FIM-92 Stinger missile during a training exercise....
05/03/2024
L3Harris Chimera - Rapidly Configurable Software Development Tool for Simplified Mission System Integration...
05/03/2024
From left to right: Marie-Christine D silet, Sara Roy, Robert Clark (Back row), St phanie Malouin, Daniel Lauzon (Back row), Fran ois Lemire, Alex Harmsworth, R...
04/03/2024
Designed for global interoperability and resiliency from the ground up, Anti-jam...
28/02/2024
My journey is a reminder that with determination, resilience and the support of a strong community, anything is possible....
28/02/2024
Our advanced sensor design will enable Space Systems Command satellites to track missile launches and hypersonic glide vehicles from medium Earth orbit....
15/02/2024
MELBOURNE, Fla., Feb. 14, 2024 - Five missile tracking satellites L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) designed and built successfully launched from Cape Canaveral ...
09/02/2024
A Medium Range Ballistic Missile target was air launched from a C-17 aircraft. MRBM Type 1 and Type 2 targets are designed, manufactured and launched by Aerojet...
09/02/2024
As countries invest in and advance their technologies, the defense industry can help the U.S. military modernize Electromagnetic Spectrum Operations by leveragi...
08/02/2024
For the last seven years, L3Harris has delivered unparalleled communication network coverage for Canada's Energy Province.'...
08/02/2024
Breaking free from the constraints of traditional satellite communications (SATC...
08/02/2024
L3Harris Technologies and United Arab Emirates (UAE) defense company Calidus Aer...
02/02/2024
L3Harris' state-of-the-art WASC will provide the UAE with advanced service a...
01/02/2024
L3Harris VP and GM of Spectral Solutions Rob Mitrevski accepts a plaque from NOA...
30/01/2024
As a member of Generation X, right in the middle of the five generations currently in the workforce, I feel I'm in a perfect position to really Bridge the ...
29/01/2024
During Indo Pacific 2023, L3Harris provided a glimpse into the future of maritime defence technology in an interview with Australian Defence Magazine. Emphasizi...
29/01/2024
A top-down view of the OSIRIS-REx sample container with the lid removed, reveali...
26/01/2024
Full year (FY) 2023 orders1 of $22.8 billion; book-to-bill of 1.18x
4Q23 revenu...
19/01/2024
Exercise proves the successful integration of Waveform X into two types of softw...
16/01/2024
MELBOURNE, Fla., Jan. 16, 2024 - L3Harris Technologies (NYSE:LHX) received a con...
09/01/2024
Aerojet Rocketdyne, an L3Harris Technologies company, and Naval Surface Warfare ...
My career in law enforcement began right out of college when I went to work at my local police department. Over 24 years, I had a very rewarding and challenging experience. I served as a K-9 officer for 14 years, was promoted to a supervisor position and later became a detective sergeant. I enjoyed challenging myself and helping others.
