Misty Reynolds

Misty Reynolds

Lieutenant / Assistant Chief of Police


City of Coachella Police Department

Palm Desert, CA USA


You've gotta do what scares you the most. Just find the thing that gives you a fire inside and focus on it.

Videos

By Roadtrip Nation

Misty Reynolds

Milestones

My road in life has been direct.
Grew up with a father who was addicted to drugs and an extremely abusive stepmother, a woman who she believed to be her mother.
Says she got to the point where she was actually glad when her parents did drugs because "at least they left [her] alone."
As a child, she was always trying to run away, so she had a lot of contact with law enforcement, who always tried their best to help her.
At the age of 18, she packed up her things into a laundry basket, got into her car, and left home forever.
Decided to enter the police academy; no one there could intimidate her after what she'd been through as a child.
Says she went from "that laundry basket full of clothes to a really nice husband and a really nice house...it's surreal."
In 2013, her father passed away, and shortly afterwards, she was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis.
She initially got angry, then had a "pity party," then finally said, "I'm not going to be the victim my whole life"; now she does yoga, takes her illness one day at a time.

Career

Lieutenant / Assistant Chief of Police

I supervise peace officers.

Career Roadmap

Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Government
Law
Helping People

Day to Day

I am responsible for planning, scheduling, and coordinating the activities of the Police Department. I also supervise and / or manage subordinate supervisors, officers, and civilians on field and staff operations. Essentially, I am one of the frontlines of command; I pass orders from the top levels of command to the Police Sergeants, who in turn relay those orders to the Police Officers and Detectives down the line.

Advice for Getting Started

Here's the first step for everyone

At times people in your life will insert a negative mantra in your head. A mantra that says you will never be anyone or amount to anything. Rather than letting it consume you, use that to fuel your drive, motivation and passion.

Recommended Education

My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:

Hurdles

The Noise I Shed

From Myself:

"I have this badge and this gun now so no one is going to mess with me ever again. "

Challenges I Overcame

Drugs / Addiction
Physical Issues
Gangs / Violence

Interviewed By

Ready to Rise

Ready to Rise

Confronting systemic barriers to success