Women Learn About Opportunities in Law Enforcement

Duluth, Minn. — There was an open house Saturday at the Duluth Police Department for women. The idea behind the open house was to see if they may want to become a part of the department.

Women had been invited to talk with women who already are part of the department. The idea is that law enforcement is much more than just the patrol officers or detectives,
There are a lot of other positions available. There’s also a need to have different perspectives to better serve the community

Laura Marquardt, the Assistant Police Chief for Duluth said, “Breaking down those wall and barriers it takes an individual one-on-one kind of approach.  And this, inviting people into our department, having female officers, female staff here to be able to one-on-one talk to people helps makes those connections and break down the fact that policing is not a male profession, it is a profession for people who want to serve and help their communities.”

With more women taking part in law enforcement there is a wider variety of thought, ideas and possible solutions. The reasons the women may want to join the force varied a great deal among those in attendance.

“My dad’s a police officer for UMD and I’ve been interested in this career, and I think this was a good opportunity to like, see what it’s about and to just like, get the feel of it, and if I want to continue on this path,” said Ava LaGarde.

Whether you’re a woman or a man, if you are interested in being a part of a police department, sheriffs department or other law enforcement agency, you may want to check out Lake Superior College. It has a Criminal Justice Department that many recent recruits of the Duluth Police Department and the St Louis County Sheriff’s office have attended.