Woodstock’s own Police ” Officer Jen” is working to encourage young women to dedicate themselves to lives of service and, in particular, service in law enforcement.
She was at Vermont Technical College this week as part of the “Women Can Do” event. In the photo provided to WEB, she is using her special PINK dusting brush to teach the fine art of fingerprint collection.
Here is little bit more gleaned from a press release sent to Woodstock Early Bird. (Woodstock Early Bird is a big fan of “Officer Jen” and her approach to her work):
The Women Can Do Conference was held in Randolph, Vermont at VTC and was organized by VT Works for Women, serving nearly 400 high school aged young women, exposed them to career fields for which women are not typically recruited.
At the all-day conference, the high school women chose which career workshops they were interested in or might want to sample. The conference workshops including training in welding, chain saw and other heavy equipment work to fire fighting and law enforcement.
Woodstock Police Department’s own “Officer Jen” — oh, yeah, that’s really “Officer Hutchins”, presented “Get a Lock on Law Enforcement.” The women who attended Officer Jen’s workshop got a taste of forensics by locating, dusting and lifting finger prints – with neon pink powder and making a bookmark to take home. Attendees who worked with Officer Jen also got to try on bullet proof vests, use LASAR (speed measuring device) and other police equipment. Fun, fun, fun but also serious work.
Officer Jen has been presenting at Women Can Do since 1999. “Being a positive and strong role model for young people is very important to me, and I enjoy talking about being a Police Officer.”
Hutchins has been in law enforcement since 1998 and has been a Patrolman for Woodstock Police for five years.
Good job, Officer Jen! Let’s get more women into these jobs (and make sure we keep them in these traditionally male fields)!
Right now, two female officers serve with Woodstock’s Police Department: Officer Jen Hutchins and Officer Lisa Wilding.
BTW, it’s nice to know that even law enforcement officers can bring a little “pink” to the job. It’s possible if you engage in any criminal activity that a certain officer may take you away in pink handcuffs. Not “standard issue”, we don’t think, but they’ll get the job done! And don’t for a minute think that the presence of pink will in any way interfere with enforcement of the law. Just sayin’!
For more information about Women Can Do visit http://www.vtworksforwomen.org/news-events/13th-annual-women-can-do-confrence-to-be-held-october-13th/
Julia Carlisle
Woodstock Early Bird 