Women
In Policing
Detective
Carol Gomez
Detective Gomez has been with the Mesa Police Department since
1997. Her assignments include Patrol Officer, Field Training
Officer, Property Crimes Detective, Violent Crimes Detective,
and Homicide Detective. Detective Gomez is also certified as a
Drug Recognition Expert. Below are some questions we asked
Officer Gomez reference her experiences with the Mesa Police
Department.
What made you want to get into a career in Law
Enforcement?
I wanted a career that would be physical and rewarding.
What concerns did your family and friends have with you
becoming a police officer and did their concerns change after
successful completion of your training?
Family had concerns about my safety as an officer, but supported
me the entire time through the process. They still support me.
Did you find it hard to compete with male officers
during the academy and FTO program?
I did not have any difficulty competing with male officers in
the academy or FTO. I was always treated with respect and as an
equal.
How do you balance the scale between family life and
shift work?
Try not to dwell on the work aspect of the job while I am at
home. Separate the job from home life.
Have you ever found yourself in a situation you could
not handle because you were a female?
No.
Did you have any issues getting hired and how did you
cope with the academy physical fitness requirements?
The academy was demanding physically, but I had support of my
family and my squad to keep me motivated.
What do you feel you bring to Mesa PD because of being a
female officer?
Understanding and maybe a little more compassion with the
ordinary citizen.
Do you feel that Mesa PD is a diversified department and
should the department seek harder to hire more female officers?
We can always use more female officers.
Give one example of a situation where being a female
officer helped defuse the situation?
Sometimes women offenders can identify with female officers and
confide in them. For example, a woman in an abusive
relationship might confide in a female officer of the abuse
because she might think they would understand.
What is your most memorable experience as a police
officer?
Working the serial shooter case with Phoenix PD, ATF, and
Scottsdale PD.
Do you feel the department has been supportive in
assisting you to reach your career goals?
Yes.
What advice would you give to women who want to become
police officers?
It they are really interested in the job the opportunity is
there. Be prepared for the physical challenges and realize that
hard work will be noticed.
If you would like to contact Detective Gomez, please send her an
e-mail at
Carol.Gomez@Mesaaz.gov.
For questions regarding the Hiring or Testing process, e-mail
police.jobs@mesaaz.gov.