Jennifer Carpenter
Police Sergeant
Mount Vernon Police Dept
Milestones
My road in life took a while to figure out.
I worked in banking.
I quit my job in the banking industry so I could return to college.
I got a job as a security guard to help pay my way through college.
A friend encouraged me to take the test to be a police officer.
Even though I started out feeling that I might be in over my head I worked on developing myself.
Became a detective; later promoted as 1st African-American female to make Sergeant.
Education
High School
Mount Vernon High School
Mount Vernon High School
Career
Police Sergeant
I supervise police officers assigned to the patrol division.
Career Roadmap
My work combines:
My work combines:
Law
Philosophy & Religion
Learning / Being Challenged
Day to Day
A great day at work for me usually comes at the end of the day when after doing all they could do to effectively serve the community, the officers return to headquarters free from harm and with new knowledge to do an even better job the next time .
Advice for Getting Started
Here's the first step for high school students
To be really honest with themselves about who they are. It is important to know one's strengths and weaknesses first before trying to deal with someone else's.
Recommended Education
My career is related to what I studied. I'd recommend the path I took:
Hurdles
The Noise I Shed
From Family:
"The lack of encouragement. I was asked 'Can't you find another job?' Each time I had to make a decision that was in the best interest of my personal success, I had 'friends' walk away from me."
Challenges I Overcame
A product of foster care
