For students interested in law enforcement and legal careers, getting to know people in those professions is huge, and for several Lawson students, that was a key takeaway from attending the recent 3rd Annual Women in Law Enforcement conference, hosted by the Jefferson County Sheriff's Office.
Several students joined dozens of area women in law enforcement who came to the event, which was themed "She. Leads. She Serves. She Protects." They accompanied Dr. Alana N. Williams, a criminal justice instructor at the college.
"The experience showed us that women in law enforcement are not only present, but powerful, influential, and shaping the future of the profession," said Dr. Williams. "The students gained exposure to women doing the work, making their career goals feel more attainable and tangible."
Participating students included Jemerial Woodard, Sharica McCombs, and Kaliyah Reese-Stokes. They heard from women leaders in a variety of local enforcement roles, met Jefferson County Sheriff Mark Pettway, and had a chance to see former Birmingham Police Chief Annette Nunn, who in 2003 became the first woman to lead the local police department.
Also present was Congresswoman Terri Sewell (D-AL). She formally introduced keynote speaker, former U.S. Rep. Val Demings, who served as Orlando's police chief before going to Washington.
Her challenge to those who attended the conference?
"Nothing less than your full potential is acceptabl...we are living in some strange times. We are living in some critical moments. Half of your service just isn't good enough," she said. "We need to remove all the excuses, the barriers, and how we feel about ourselves so we can be our absolute best. Meeting this moment demands nothing less than our best service and our best commitment."
The former congresswoman encouraged the audience to focus on their strengths and to be less concerned with naysayers.
"It's not so much what other people think, because there will always be those who try to make you think you are in the wrong place at the wrong time," she said. "They don't matter. What really matters is what they make you think about yourself and your ability to do the job that you're in."
