With eyes set firmly on the rank of homicide detective, CPD Cadet Allen proves that big ambitions require strong foundations. Raised with a deep appreciation for service through a mother’s military career, Cadet Allen embraced the cadet path as the essential bridge between a childhood goal and a lifelong career. Here’s how turning strategy into action revealed a true passion for law enforcement.
What inspired you to the Columbus Police Cadet program?
What inspired me was my dream to become a homicide detective one day. At first, I wasn’t
interested in becoming a patrol officer, but I knew that moving up the ranks was the necessary
step to be promoted to detective. Now that I’m in it, I can see myself on this path, and it’s a
career I want to continue to pursue.
Were there any specific moments or people in your neighborhood who inspired you to
pursue law enforcement?
No, not necessarily in my neighborhood, but my mother, she was in the military, so I was around
them a lot. And I just always thought it was interesting.
So, you had always wanted to serve?
Yes.
What is the biggest belief that teenagers have about police officers, and how do you hope to
change that?
The biggest belief is that they’re all just trying to accuse you of something or say that you’re a
criminal or whatever, but that’s not the case. There’s a lot of officers out here that care for the
community, and I think I’ve seen a lot of that while being in this program.
What are the most challenging physical or mental hurdles of yours that you have
overcome?
The most challenging thing for me physically would be running because you do a lot of PT, a lot
of working out. And I’ve struggled with that, but working out more here has made it easier.
As a cadet, you’re a part-time employee. How do you balance this demanding program
with your personal life and other teams’ interests?
I balance it out because a lot of the time, we have opportunities to work different shifts. So right
now, we’re in job assignments, and we’re normally doing early shifts. We work in the morning.
It’s nothing different from going to school. So, I feel like it’s very simple.
Since building trust is a major focus for the Columbus Division of Police, how do you plan
to leverage your own background and age to bridge the gap with local youth?
We go to a lot of community events. So just interacting with them and just letting them know,
“Hey, we’re here for you guys. Not everybody is out to get you.” So just simple things like that.
Looking ahead to when you turn 21 and can take the civil service exam to become a sworn
officer, what kind of impact do you want to make on the city?
The impact I want to make on the city is to represent for Black women and the Black
community.
What advice would you give to any other teenager who’s interested in law enforcement, but
isn’t sure?
My advice would be to talk to people, any officers that you see in your neighborhood or
whatever the case may be because those connections can get you opportunities that can get you
into the career path if you’re interested in it. So don’t be afraid to talk.
Did you always want to do this as a young child, like in elementary school?
No
You changed?
Yes, I was kind of all over the place with careers, but I finally decided on this. I did get interested
based off TV shows.
What age did you get interested?
I would say 15
What made you choose the Columbus Division of Police instead of surrounding
departments like Westerville, New Albany, or Grove City?
I grew up in Columbus. And when I was in high school, I went to a career tech school for
criminal justice, and then they came to the school and talked to us about it. So that’s how I found
out about it.
You gained incredible experience here as a cadet. What was the turning point that led you
to pivot to the military?
I’ve always been interested in military. When I graduated high school, it was between I wanted to
do this program or the military. And once I found out about the National Guard, that’s when I
was like, “Oh, I could do both at the same time.” I’m always thinking about my future.
Interview by: Jaila Mccarey
Leave a Reply