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“The Safest Place I Can Be”

Growing up in the local area, alumna Adrienne Monroy ‘15 felt she was destined to attend Messiah College. “I used to come for soccer games in the late 1990s,” she says. “It was a special place in my heart and I wanted to stay close to home.” As a criminal justice major and health and exercise science minor, Monroy graduated and transitioned into the role of a personal trainer while working part time at a law firm. Through her combined experiences, she made the decision to enroll in the Police Academy.

Monroy joined the Harrisburg Bureau of Police as a patrol and forensic officer in January 2016. Her days were filled with crime scene photography, processing fingerprints, documentation and much more. She is currently assigned to the Community Policing Unit. Community policing aims to strengthen relationships between the police department and the local community. In her role, Monroy takes time to establish relationships in the Harrisburg community to help reduce crime rates. She focuses on quality-of-life complaints and investigates the problematic areas within the communities to ensure safety. She adds, “Each day, we visit the schools. We talk to the staff and the students to keep our relationships strong.” The department also checks in with local business as well.

FUN FACT: Monroy was tasked with securing at a Harrisburg Senators game in the spring of 2018.

Although there are difficult days, Monroy finds joy in the small acts of kindness. “Despite tough circumstances, we find people who express how our interaction with them has positively impacted their lives, and that is so exciting to see,” she says. Monroy finds her job rewarding in different ways. Because law enforcement has many unique dimensions, each day presents a new challenge. But she continues to find comfort and security in her faith and her abilities. “I believe in what I do; it’s meaningful to me,” she adds.

 

“As far as fear, I’ve become comfortable and confident in my training and experience. That brings a sense of calm. Since this is my calling, this is the safest place I can be.”

 

As Monroy reflects back to her college days at Messiah, she remembers being stressed about things she now would consider more consuming than they should have been. “I wish I wouldn’t have cared about the little stressors as much, but rather have been more present and focused on enjoying my college experience,” she says. She encourages students to have an idea of the field they are considering and then gaining as much experience as possible in that field. She adds, “If you find out through those experiences that you don’t like what you’re going to do, don’t be afraid to switch. Classes come and go, but at the end of the day—you want to enjoy your job.”

To learn more about the criminology program at Messiah College, go here.