A LONG TIME POLICE OFFICER
WAS LAID TO REST AFTER A BATTLE
WITH CANCER.
SHE IS REMEMBERED AS A WOMAN
WHO HELPED TO REDEFINE THE
IMAGE OF FEMALE OFFICERS.
TO BE A DEFENSIVE TACTIC
INSTRUCTOR, WHEN A WOMAN CAME
THROUGH AND THOUGHT YOU COULD
DO MORE, SHE PUSHED THEM TO DO
MORE.
SHE JOINED THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT 20 YEARS AGO AFTER
SERVING 13 YEARS IN THE US
MARINE CORPS.
IN 2008 THE DEPARTMENT NAMED
HER OFFICER OF THE YEAR FOR
HELPING TO SAVE THE LIFE OF
ANOTHER OFFICER.
ANGELA SHOWS US HOW HER LEGACY
OF LEADERSHIP IS REMEMBERED.
WHEN MARY JOINED THE POLICE
DEPARTMENT IN THE LATE 1990S
SHE HIT THE GROUND RUNNING.
SHE WAS A VERY EAGER PERSON,
PHYSICALLY FIT, WANTED TO BE
INVOLVED AND TAKE THE CALLS.
SHE LOVED WORKING THE STREET
AND TRYING NEW THINGS LIKE
WORKING IN THE K-9 UNIT, THE
GANG UNIT, AND SERVING AS A
SWAT OFFICER.
HER MOST MEMORABLE WORK WAS
HURT WORKING UNDERCOVER AS A
LADY OF THE EVENING TO SHUT
DOWN PROSTITUTION.
JUST MAKING PROPOSITIONS
WITH THEM AND GETTING HUNT AND
HOLLERED AT, SHE WAS GOOD AT
IT.
SHE WAS COMMITTED TO MAKING
NEIGHBORHOODS SAFER.
DAUGHTERS AND MOTHERS
WOULDN'T BE HARASSED WALKING
HOME SO WE DID A LOT OF THAT.
MARY LIKED TO REMINISCE
ABOUT HER DAYS IN THE MARINES
AND STAYED IN CONTACT WITH THE
FRIENDS THAT SHE MADE BUT HER
TRUE LOVES WERE HER SONS.
SHE WAS AN AMAZING MOM.
HER BOYS MEANT THE WORLD TO
HER.
SHE SUPPORTED HER'S FEMALE
COLLEAGUES AND SPENT TIME
TRAINING THEM IN SELF-DEFENSE
TACTICS.
SHE HELD WOMEN ACCOUNTABLE
BUT ALSO TO BE WHO YOU ARE
BECAUSE SOMETIMES THAT GETS THE
JOB DONE BETTER.
SHE ASKED HER VISITORS NOT
TO CRY BUT SHOW STRENGTH AND
LOVE LIKE SHE DID. MARCH 20,
2017 AT 1600.
MARY FROM THE COUNTY.
GOD BLESS YOU MARY, I LOVE
YOU.
ANGELA DAVIS, WCCO4 NEWS.
SHE ALSO TRAINED RECRUITS ,
WAS AN INSTRUCTOR AND
VOLUNTEERED WITH THE COPS AND
KIDS PROGRAM.
SHE WAS 50 YEARS OLD WHEN SHE
