Diversifying The Hendry Sheriff’s Department

ACCORDING TO THE FLORIDA SHERIFFS ASSOCIATION, WOMEN COMPRISE ABOUT 14% OF THE FULL TIME THAT'S WORN AND OFFICERS IN THE UNITED STATES SHERIFF'S OFFICES. HOWEVER, THAT NUMBER IS ON THE RISE. THE ASSOCIATION SAYS WOMEN MAKE UP 20% OF NEW ACADEMY RECRUITS WGCU REPORTER YOUN JOO PARK EXPLAINS EVEN RULE OFFICERS IN HENDRY COUNTY ARE INCREASING EFFORTS TO BRING MORE WOMEN INTO THE FIELD. >> IN HENDRY COUNTY CHASING AFTER COWS IS A ROUTINE PART OF POLICING TODAY, SERGEANT LEROY HERNANDEZ IS HELPING A RANCHER CORRAL. A RUNAWAY BOVINE. HERNANDEZ WAS RACED IN THIS PASTORAL SETTING AND SHE'S FULFILLING HER MOTHER STREAM. >> GROWING UP, MY MOM ALWAYS SAID SHE GOES, YOU'RE GOING TO BE A COP. IF YOU'RE GOING TO BE A COP. SHE JUST ALWAYS I DON'T KNOW WHY HE SAID AIRWAY OR I DON'T KNOW WHAT SHE SAW ME THAT I COULD BE A DEPUTY, BUT SHE'S LIKE YOU'RE GOING TO BE YOU'RE GOING TO BE A COP. YOU SHOULD JUST BE A COP. >> HERNANDEZ RECENTLY ATTENDED A SHERIFF'S WOMEN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY. SHE WAS NOMINATED BY LIEUTENANT ALAN HUDSON. >> YOU GOT LAURA. SHE'S ALSO RIGHT. I MEAN, WHY WOULD A A SHE SHE'S LOCAL. SHE'S BEEN HERE HER WHOLE LIFE FOR FAMILIES FROM HERE ONE THINKS ABOUT LAURA, IS SHE? SHE STARTED AND ROAD PATROL AND SHE WORKED HER WAY UP THE ENTIRE WAY. ALL RIGHT. SHE SHE WORKED NIGHTS DAYS BACK AND FORTH. EACH PROMOTION GOING ALONG SHE DIDN'T SHOOT EVERYTHING AND IT TOO. SHE SHE WORKED HER WAY UP TO WHAT SHE IS NOW. >> THE GEORGIA LAW ENFORCEMENT TO OPEN FOR HERNANDEZ A DECADE AGO AS THE FIRST WOMAN TO BE SPONSORED BY THE HENDRY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. SPONSORSHIP MEANT SHE COULD BE PAID DURING TRAINING WHICH FREED HER FROM EATING A DIFFERENT SOURCE OF INCOME. >> ONE OF THE REQUIREMENTS WAS YOU HAVE TO BE A LOCAL RESIDENT OF HENDRY COUNTY HAVE TO LIVE WITHIN THE COUNTY. BASICALLY HOMEROOM. >> IN RURAL HENDRY COUNTY, WHICH HAS MORE COWS AND PEOPLE LIEUTENANT HUDSON SAYS THAT THE HOMEGROWN FACTOR IS IMPORTANT. >> I MEAN, SHE SHE SOMETHING ELSE. SHE KNOWS THE COMMUNITY. I CAN ALWAYS RELY ON ARE IDENTIFIED, NEED SOME TYPE COLOR. SHE ALWAYS ANSWERS THE PHONE AND SHE'S ALWAYS THERE. IF WE HAVE A PROBLEM WITH SOMEBODY IN THE COMMUNITY THAT WE NEED TO KNOW WHERE THEY ARE. LAURA ALWAYS KNOWS OR CAN FIND OUT. SHE'S FROM HERE. IT'S GREAT. >> HE EXPLAINS THAT THE INDUSTRY HAS COME A LONG WAY FROM THE HISTORICAL MAKEUP OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. >> YOU SOMETIMES. >> GOOD MIXTURES IS WHAT YOU NEED. YOUNG KIDS. >> WE NEED PEOPLE WITH LIFE EXPERIENCE. WE NEED PEOPLE FROM OTHER PLACES WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT EXPERIENCE. IT'S A TEAM. EVERYBODY BUILDS EACH OTHER. EVERYBODY HAS A NICHE IN LAW ENFORCEMENT. THEY ARE BEST AT AND WE WE FOLLOW EACH OTHER TO HELP EACH OTHER OUT. >> SERGEANT HERNANDEZ SAYS HER WORKPLACES GENDER-INCLUSIVE, BUT THE PUBLIC'S RECEPTION OF A FEMALE COP CAN SOMETIMES BE SURPRISING. >> EVEN JUST WHEN YOU GO TO CAUSE. YOU COULD GET THIS THING WHEN THEY GO. IT'S A GIRL HERE. CAN WE GET A DIFFERENT SOMETIMES I TO. THAT WOULD BE LIKE, OH, CAN MAKE IT IN THE MEDIA AND I SUSPECT NIGHT CONTENDER THE QUALITY YOU NEED WHAT'S GOING ON? IT? >> HUDSON SAYS FEMALE OFFICERS ARE IMPORTANT BECAUSE SOME HAVE A QUALITY THAT MALE COPS MIGHT LACK. >> SOMETIMES YOU'RE WOMEN CAN BE THE MOM. IF YOU NEED TO BE I HAVE I'M THINKING OF ONE PARTICULAR ONE IN MIND. WE'LL SAY YOUR NAME, BUT SHE'S THE ONE THERE. SHE WILL HUNT YOU DOWN. HE'S A GREAT COP. SHE'S HARD. BUT WHEN I NEEDED TO BE THE MOM, THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT YOU USE. SHE CAN SHOW IT TO A SCENE. AND SHES TEDDY BEARS AND A CAR. AND SHE TAKES CARE OF THE KIDS ON SCENE. WHEN I CAME TO. THAT'S THE DIFFERENCE TO ME. >> HUDSON SAYS THESE TEDDY BEARS ARE DONATED TO THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE SO FAR ONLY THE FEMALE DEPUTIES HAVE CHOSEN TO TAKE THE TEDDY'S FOR A RIDE ALONG. HERNANDEZ HAS ANOTHER LAYER COMPLICATING HER PUBLIC PERSONA BEING LATINA IN THE PAST. SHE SAYS SOME PEOPLE HAVE LAUNCHED INSENSITIVE WORDS AT HER. BUT TODAY HER CULTURAL IDENTITY IS A BOON IN DEALING WITH THE COMMUNITY. >> ONCE THEY SEE A SPANISH OFFICER OR DEPUTY SHOW UP ON SCENE, YOU CAN SEE A RELIEF AND THE COMMUNITIES FACE OR THE PERSON'S FACE LIKE, OKAY, HE SPEAKS. THANK MY GUESTS. MAKE AND THEN THEY JUST SPELL IT ALL OUT. THEY JUST START FLOWING WEATHER IS THERE WITH AN ON SPANISH SPEAKING DEPUTY. IT WAS A LITTLE BIT, OBVIOUSLY BECAUSE OF THE LANGUAGE BARRIER AND THEY MIGHT BE A LITTLE MORE TENSE OR SOMETIMES THERE'S MISCOMMUNICATION. AND WHEN AND STAYS, FOR EXAMPLE, I GET THING THE KING AND A LOT OF THE COMMUNITY KNOWS ME. AND SHE ALSO SAYS INSIGHT OR KNOWLEDGE IS CRUCIAL FOR COMMUNITY BUILDING. AND I THINK WHEN YOU WORK IN LAW ENFORCEMENT, I THINK A LOT OF PEOPLE WILL AGREE THERE. WHAT SHOULD BECOME A FAMILIAR FACE? A LOT OF PEOPLE COME RDU SOMETIMES THE IF DO SIU WRITING BY THE NIKKEI HAVE A QUESTION OR HEY, CAN YOU HELP ME OUT OR I'LL HAVE LIKE SOMETIME IN MAY DIFFERENT PEOPLE JUST FLAG ME DOWN OR SOMETIMES PEOPLE GET NUMBERS. HOW DOES THE OF A NUMBER AND THAT THEY NEED HELP ON THIS GOING TO GO OKAY. SO TRY TO HAVE SOMETHING NEW TO THE COMBAT FAMILIAR FACE AND NOT MAKE COVERAGE BASED AND THEY FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH YOU AND TALKING TO YOU WHETHER IT BE MAYBE THIS IS SIMPLY THIS. MAKES A MOTION MORGAN WITH A SOLUTION. I THINK THAT'S VERY GRATIFYING BECAUSE THE COCONUT >> SO FOR DEPUTIES LIKE SERGEANT HERNANDEZ, EACH INTERACTION WITH THE PUBLIC IS A CHANCE TO PRACTICE AND OVERCOME STIGMAS AND SOCIETY. SHE CHIEFS THIS BY SETTING OUT EVERY DAY TO MAKE TRUST THE CORNERSTONE OF POLICING. AND THAT IS SOMETHING OFFICERS OF ANY GENDER CAN DO. FOR WGCU NEWS. I'M YOUN JOO PARK. >> SUSAN HERALD JOINS US TODAY. SHE IS FROM HENDRY COUNTY WHERE SHE SERVES AS A CAPTAIN AT THE HENDRY COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE. CAPTAIN HARROW, THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR JOINING US TODAY. THANK YOU FOR HAVING ME THAT YOU HAVE BEEN IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR AT LEAST 40 YEARS. 23 YEARS. AMAZING. CAN YOU TELL ME HAVE YOU FIRST? I BECAME INTERESTED IN GETTING INVOLVED IN THE FIELD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. >> IT WASN'T INTERESTED IN LAW ENFORCEMENT AND NEEDED A JOB. >> SO I HAVE BEEN TOLD THERE WAS A POSITION AVAILABLE AT IT MUNICIPALITY TO SMALL IN A SMALLS CITY IN PALM BEACH COUNTY WAS CALLED SOUTH BANK. SO I APPLIED FOR THE POSITION OF DISPATCH AN >> THAT'S WHY STARTED. AND THE REST IS HISTORY AND THE REST ASSIST AND YOU HAVE PRIMARILY WORKED IN RURAL COUNTIES, HENDRY COUNTY AND PALM BEACH COUNTY. AND YOU SAID YOU PREFER YOUR WORK IN THOSE RURAL COUNTIES. WHY IS THAT? >> I LIKE THE ABILITY TO BE ABLE TO MEET PEOPLE TO KNOW WHO THEY ARE. I DON'T LIKE I LIKE THE GENUINE THIS OF IT OF THE SMALLER COMMUNITIES. YOU GET TO MEET PEOPLE, YOU KNOW WHO THEY ARE. YOU KNOW WHAT PROBLEMS THEY HAVE. YOU KNOW WHAT? ISSUES THEY MAY HAVE. IF YOU KNOW, THEY HAVE REPEATED PROBLEMS WITH THEIR CHILDREN. EVERYBODY KNOWS THEIR CHILDREN. AND THE PEOPLE ARE JUST DIFFERENT IS JUST I JUST PREFER. THE ONE-ON-ONE INTERACTION IN A SMALLER COMMUNITY. AND WHAT DO YOU LOVE ABOUT YOUR JOB? HONESTLY, IF WHEN I'M NOT HAVING TO DO ALL THE THINGS EVERYONE I'M REQUIRED TO DO, AS FAR AS THE ADMINISTRATIVE PORTION. I RE HALLIE ENJOY HELPING PEOPLE WHO CAN'T HELP THEMSELVES OR WHO NEED HELP. I TRULY DO. THAT'S REALLY WHERE MY HEART IS. I SEE SO MUCH OF IT. YOU SEE IT ON TV. YOU SEE IT ON THE NEWS WHERE THERE'S THERE IS NO COMPASSION FOR PEOPLE. AND I WOULD SAY THERE ISN'T ANY. THERE'S JUST NOT AS MUCH. IN MY OWN OPINION IS A LAW ENFORCEMENT OFFICER. WE SHOULD BE GUARDIANS. NOT HEAVY BATCH. WE SHOULDN'T ENJOY HAVING TO WRESTLING. AND I DUCEY THAT SOMETIMES. A LOT OF HOW I FEEL ABOUT PEOPLE AND HANDLING THINGS IS WHERE DID THEY JUST COME FROM? WELL, YOU KNOW, YOU SEE THINGS LIKE YOU NEED TO BE NICE TO PEOPLE BECAUSE YOU DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY'RE DEALING WITH. THAT'S TRUE. YOU KNOW WHY SOMEBODY SITTING AT A BAR DRINKING, MAYBE HE'S WIFE JUST LEFT ING ILL KNOW WHY THE KIDS ARE OUT BREAKING INTO HOMES, MAYBE BECAUSE THEY DON'T HAVE A HOME. IF THERE ARE SO MANY THINGS THAT. I FEEL LIKE IT'S EASY TO OVERLOOK. YOU DO HAVE A AN OPINION ON THE CURRENT STATE OF POLICING. >> IN OUR CULTURE RIGHT NOW, MAYBE EVEN ESPECIALLY WITH WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL I FEEL LIKE I ONLY KNOW WHAT I HEAR ON THE NEWS SHARES. AND WHAT WE TALK ABOUT IN MEETINGS. AND I HAVE TO WONDER. ONLY BASED ON WHAT I KNOW. I HAVE TO WONDER WHAT KIND OF TRAINING THEY RECEIVE. I HAVE MY OWN PERSONAL OPINIONS ABOUT A LOT OF THINGS THAT ARE HAPPENING ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL THEN A LOT OF PEOPLE PROBABLY WOULDN'T AGREE WITH. I SEE. ICU YOUNG PEOPLE TODAY WHO ARE SO AFRAID OF THE POLICE OR THAT HAVE EXPERIENCED SOME TYPE OF TRAUMA THAT JUST. CONTACT WITH LAW ENFORCEMENT. YOU SEE THEM TRIMBLE. THEY CAN'T HARDLY TALKED FOR CRYING. AND THAT'S IT SHOULDN'T BE LIKE THAT. AND I I FEEL LIKE WE'VE FORGOTTEN SOMEWHERE ALONG THE WAY THAT. WE SHOULD BE PROTECTING PEOPLE WHO NEED TO BE PROTECTED, WHO CAN'T PROTECT THEMSELVES. SO I DO FEEL LIKE THERE'S A LACK OF THAT. AND I THINK A LACK OF TRAINING. IS ANOTHER ISSUE. AND WITH 4 IN REINFORCEMENT, YES, WE WERE DISCUSSING THE FACT THAT THERE ARE. >> THERE ARE MANY PEOPLE EXPERTS IN THE FIELD THAT SAY WOMEN TEND TO HAVE SOME OF THOSE COMPACT, MORE COMPASSION IN GENERAL. AND THERE ARE RULES IN LAW ENFORCEMENT FOR PEOPLE THAT HAVE COMPASSION. AND THAT'S WHAT YOU'RE SPEAKING ABOUT. RIGHT? AND I FEEL LIKE. YEAH, I'M WHERE I SHOULD BE. I FEEL LIKE AN. >> I DO. I CAN'T THINK OF BEING ANYPLACE ELSE. I CAN'T THINK THAT I WOULD. >> EXCEL INJURING MANY OTHER UNITS WITHIN THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE BECAUSE I HAVE THAT FOR PEOPLE. IF YOU HAD DAUGHTERS OR GRANDDAUGHTERS THAT WANTED TO PURSUE A CAREER. >> BEING A COP, WHAT WOULD YOU TELL THEM IN THIS IN THIS DAY AND AGE? >> I WOULD TELL MY GRAND DOLLAR TOO, CONTINUE TO PURSUE HER CAREER IN THE MEDICAL FIELD. I HAVE A DAUGHTER WHO WORKS FOR THE SHERIFF'S OFFICE WHO WORKS IN FINANCE OF A SON WHO WORKS IN. AND I FEEL LIKE. YOU KNOW, EVERY DAY YOU HEAR IT ALL THE TIME. AND I THINK PEOPLE BECOME NUMB TO IT. YOU KNOW, WE'LL NOW WE'LL KNOW WHAT'S GOING TO HAPPEN. WE DON'T KNOW WHO WE'RE GOING. COUNTY WHO WERE GETTING COUNTER WITH THE SITUATION IS GOING TO BE WEAK AGREES. ALINA, THE HOME WE HAVE FAMILIES, WE HAVE A HUSBAND OR WIFE, CHILDREN AND GRANDCHILDREN. WE HAVE SIBLINGS AND PARENTS. I WOULD JUST LIKE EVERYBODY ELSE. I WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED. MY SON-IN-LAW'S, THE DEPUTY. AND I WOULD BE VERY CONCERNED FOR THEM. BUT SOMEONE HAS TO DO THAT JOB. >> WELL, THANK YOU FOR SHARING. YOU HAVE GIVEN US A GREAT PERSPECTIVE AND IT'S BEEN A PLEASURE TO MEET YOU AND LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU'RE DOING OUT IN HENDRY COUNTY MAKING A DIFFERENCE IN THE COMMUNITY. THANK YOU. THANK YOU SO MUCH. THANK YOU.