BOWIE, Md. — The City of Bowie Police Department has officially promoted one of its own as the first women Deputy Chief of Police. WUSA9 spoke exclusively with Captain Rachel Jefferson one-on-one as she breaks barriers.
It's still a surreal moment for Rachel Jefferson.
"It is slowly setting in," she said.
Jefferson expresses gratitude and excitement as she becomes the new and first women deputy chief of police for the city of Bowie.
"I had that goal that I wanted to be the first to go up the ranks, where that ended or landed I had no idea,” Jefferson said.
The Queens, New York native said she’s done everything she's set her mind to and more. She was the first woman promoted from officer to Commander.
Jefferson attended Pennsylvania State University and the University of Maryland where she earned a degree in psychology and human services with a concentration in counseling.
She also graduated from Northwestern University's School of Police Staff and Command program which is an intensive leadership and management education program that helps prepare experienced law enforcement professionals in senior command positions.
In her position as captain, she oversaw daily operations for the Unmanned Aerial Vehicle Unit, Strategic Tactic, and Response Team and developed policies and procedures for the department.
"It means that those who look like me, young ladies, young women even in the department it just shows that if you do hard work, keep your faith, anything's possible," Jefferson said.
She says she didn't originally want to work in law enforcement but after watching shows like CSI and Law and Order... and one police encounter things changed.
"My car was broken into when I moved into the D.C. area and when the officer came, he had to call for an evidence tech to process the car,” Jefferson said. “So at that time I was interested in evidence I asked him how you get to do this and he was actually really nice and he told me the process."
Jefferson started her career at the Metropolitan Police Department in the District.
"I enjoyed it,” Jefferson said. “It's not a boring job, you never know what to expect."
In 2008 she transferred to a newer agency, the Bowie Police Department.
"My goal here was to come to be the first to promote up because I started as an officer and to contribute," Jefferson said.
She credits her former bosses for her success and hopes others take notes from her and other popular figures.
"Cathy Lanier was my chief in D.C. and Katherine Perez was my chief here when I first came, so I served two great women,” Jefferson said. “I just want other young ladies, young women to know no matter the field you can do anything you put your mind to."
Jefferson said she has a couple of goals like developing a health and wellness program, developing and expanding their UAV program, and seeing what happens as the weather changes and go with that.
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