FOR THE RECORD 2009 / Volume 6academic programsKaren GuinWomen Discuss Careers in Law EnforcementMarie Verret started working for <strong>the</strong>Orl<strong>and</strong>o Police Department 15 yearsago. At first she was an assistant whotook reports for <strong>of</strong>ficers. Today, she is ahomicide detective <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong> department’sonly woman in this role.Her success is a result <strong>of</strong> years <strong>of</strong>hard work — <strong>and</strong> opportunities. Aftergraduating from <strong>the</strong> police academy,Verret spent four years as a patrol <strong>of</strong>ficer,followed by eight years as an undercover<strong>of</strong>ficer. She <strong>the</strong>n pursued an opening fora detective. “I’ve not experienced racial orgender discrimination,” she said. “If you’requalified, you’ll get it.”Verret’s career reflects several <strong>the</strong>mes thatemerged in a Fall 2009 panel discussionamong seven women working in lawenforcement during <strong>the</strong> course, “Police<strong>and</strong> Society”: career growth is available t<strong>of</strong>emales in this male-dominated pr<strong>of</strong>ession<strong>and</strong> law enforcement <strong>of</strong>fers opportunitiesto move around within <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>ession.Listening to <strong>the</strong> panelists were more than100 criminal justice majors. “I really enjoygiving our students a chance to posequestions about law enforcement directlyto current practitioners,” said AssistantPr<strong>of</strong>essor Ross Wolf. “Students <strong>of</strong>tencome away with a different perspective <strong>of</strong>policing from what <strong>the</strong>y had previously, <strong>and</strong><strong>the</strong>ir gender biases are <strong>of</strong>ten shattered.”Several <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> panelists said <strong>the</strong>y thinkbeing a women helps in <strong>the</strong>ir interactionswith male criminals. As a patrol <strong>of</strong>ficer with<strong>the</strong> Orange County Sheriff’s Office, SarahKeefer always showed respect toward aman when she arrested him. “I had noproblems,” she said. “There wasn’t analpha male issue.”Keefer has since earned a master’sdegree in criminal justice at UCF <strong>and</strong> isnow a property crime detective with <strong>the</strong>sheriff’s <strong>of</strong>fice. Her boyfriend also worksin law enforcement, <strong>and</strong> <strong>the</strong>y appreciatebeing able to go to one ano<strong>the</strong>r for advice.[Both were recently accepted to <strong>the</strong> FBIAcademy in Quantico, Va.]Shelli Walters has worked in lawenforcement for 23 years, <strong>the</strong> last 20 <strong>of</strong>which she has been at <strong>the</strong> AltamonteSprings Police Department, where she iscurrently comm<strong>and</strong>er. She also has beenmarried for <strong>the</strong> past two decades, <strong>and</strong>she said her line <strong>of</strong> work does presentchallenges.“My husb<strong>and</strong> doesn’t like that I spend mydays with men,” noted Walters, who ascomm<strong>and</strong>er oversees 50 people. “But I’veexplained that I have a bond [with male<strong>of</strong>ficers], not a relationship, <strong>and</strong> he hasaccepted it.”The 2009 “Women in Law Enforcement”panelists were (pictured above, left to right):1. Comm<strong>and</strong>er Shelli Walters, AltamonteSprings Police Department2. Detective Marie Verret, Orl<strong>and</strong>o PoliceDepartment3. Sergeant Cindy Haley, Orl<strong>and</strong>o PoliceDepartment4. Detective Debra Healy, Seminole CountySheriff ’s Office5. Deputy Cheryl Newberry, Orange CountySheriff ’s Office6. Officer Amber Silvia, UCF Police Department7. Detective Sarah Keefer, Orange CountySheriff ’s OfficeJust a few years ago, Cheryl Newberrywas a student in Wolf’s “Police <strong>and</strong>Society” course, where she also heardwomen in law enforcement talk about <strong>the</strong>ircareers. The experience helped convinceher to enter <strong>the</strong> pr<strong>of</strong>ession, <strong>and</strong> today sheis a patrol <strong>of</strong>ficer with <strong>the</strong> Orange CountySheriff’s Office. “I love it,” she said. “Everyday I put on my uniform, I have a smile onmy face.”Newberry’s sentiment was a shared one.When a student asked <strong>the</strong> panelists howmany would go into law enforcementagain knowing what <strong>the</strong>y know now, allseven raised <strong>the</strong>ir h<strong>and</strong>.8...
Internship NewsThe department continued to <strong>of</strong>ferextensive internship opportunities forundergraduates. New in 2009 wereopportunities in <strong>the</strong> U.S. Department<strong>of</strong> Veteran’s <strong>Affairs</strong>, Ninth JudicialCircuit <strong>Public</strong> Defender’s Office, <strong>the</strong>Nature Conservancy, <strong>the</strong> Federal TradeCommission <strong>and</strong> many more. Some<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>se positions have led to full-timeemployment upon completion <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong>student’s bachelor’s degree.Listed below are <strong>the</strong> organizations that<strong>of</strong>fered service-learning experiences to<strong>the</strong> department’s students in 2009:Criminal JusticeAltamonte Springs Police DepartmentBroward County Sheriff’s Office,Ft. LauderdaleCollier County Sheriff’s OfficeCourtWatchFlorida Department <strong>of</strong> Children <strong>and</strong>FamiliesFlorida Department <strong>of</strong> Juvenile JusticeFlorida Department <strong>of</strong> Law EnforcementFlorida Fish <strong>and</strong> Wildlife CommissionFlorida Office <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Attorney General,Daytona Office, Appeals DivisionFlorida Office <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Attorney General,Office <strong>of</strong> Statewide ProsecutionFlorida State Attorney General’s Office,Victim ServicesGirls <strong>and</strong> Boys Town, OviedoHillsborough Animal ControlHollywood (Florida) Police DepartmentJuvenile Justice CentersKnight Library SecurityLake County Sheriff’s OfficeLockheed Martin SecurityLongwood Police DepartmentMo<strong>the</strong>rs Against Drunk DrivingMentoring <strong>and</strong> Monitoring Youth <strong>of</strong>AmericaNinth Judicial Circuit <strong>Public</strong> DefenderNational Oceanic <strong>and</strong> AtmosphericAdministration, Department <strong>of</strong> LawEnforcementOcoee Police DepartmentOrange County Court AdministrationOrange County Medical Examiner’s OfficeSeminars Open to <strong>the</strong> <strong>Public</strong>Each year, <strong>the</strong> department holds seminarson a variety <strong>of</strong> topics in criminal justice forstudents <strong>and</strong> community members. Eachall-day seminar this year was held on <strong>the</strong>UCF Orl<strong>and</strong>o campus. The topics listedbelow were <strong>of</strong>fered in 2009.Less Lethal Weapons: Benefits <strong>and</strong>Liabilities, Jan. 31• Featuring guest lecturer Charles MeslohCritical Incident Stress Debriefing,April 18• Featuring educator <strong>and</strong> motivationalspeaker Mike SteeleSex <strong>and</strong> Drugs: Policing “Victimless”Crimes, June 29 to July 1• Featuring lectures by a variety <strong>of</strong>academicians, federal law enforcement<strong>of</strong>ficers, local police <strong>of</strong>ficers <strong>and</strong>pr<strong>of</strong>essionals who are experts in <strong>the</strong> fieldPolice Internal <strong>Affairs</strong>: Myths <strong>and</strong>Realities, July 23• Featuring Captain Chuck Adkins<strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Charlotte-Mecklenburg PoliceDepartment, Charlotte, NCOsceola County Sheriff’s Office,Forensics UnitOrange County Sheriff’s Office, LawEnforcement Officer Training CorpsPalm Beach County Sheriff’s OfficePasco County Sheriff’s OfficeFlorida Probation <strong>and</strong> Parole Office,Palm BaySeminole County ProbationSeminole County Sheriff’s OfficeState <strong>of</strong> Florida Fire Marshal’s OfficeU.S. Customs <strong>and</strong> Border Protection,JacksonvilleU.S. Department <strong>of</strong> Homel<strong>and</strong> Security,ICE, Orl<strong>and</strong>o <strong>and</strong> Merritt Isl<strong>and</strong>U.S. Department <strong>of</strong> Veteran’s <strong>Affairs</strong> PoliceU.S. Marshal’s ServiceU.S. Pretrial ServicesU.S. Postal Inspection Service,Miami <strong>and</strong> Orl<strong>and</strong>oValor Security, Orl<strong>and</strong>oWashington Center (Washington, D.C.)Forensic Firearms <strong>and</strong> CartridgeIdentification, July 24• Featuring retired Orl<strong>and</strong>o PoliceDepartment Crime Scene Investigator <strong>and</strong>recognized judicial expert Robb WalkerCriminal Street Gangs, Sept. 12• Featuring Special Agent Brent Harrison,Florida Department <strong>of</strong> Law EnforcementElectronic Control Weapons, Oct. 24• Featuring Lt. Paul “Spike” Hopkins <strong>and</strong>Capt. David Ogden <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> Orange CountySheriff’s OfficeCriminal justice seminars are <strong>of</strong>feredthrough UCF Continuing Education. Anoption to earn course credit is availablefor matriculated students. For fur<strong>the</strong>rinformation, contact Assistant Pr<strong>of</strong>essorRoss Wolf at rwolf@mail.ucf.edu.Winter Garden Police DepartmentWinter Park Police DepartmentLegal StudiesMany private law <strong>of</strong>ficesClerks <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CourtCourt Mediation ServicesFederal Trade CommissionFlorida Attorney General’s OfficeFlorida Department <strong>of</strong> Business <strong>and</strong>Pr<strong>of</strong>essional RegulationFlorida LegislatureHilton Gr<strong>and</strong> VacationsJudges’ <strong>of</strong>ficesNature ConservancyOrange County Clerk <strong>of</strong> <strong>the</strong> CourtOrange County Juvenile Court MagistrateState Attorneys’ <strong>of</strong>ficesUCF Department <strong>of</strong> Technology TransferUCF General CounselUCF Student Legal ServicesU.S. Department <strong>of</strong> Homel<strong>and</strong> Security... 9