Partnerships Yield Positive Results
The prompt for this round of the FEDforum is Lessons Learned. This week, hear from the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE).
Last year’s Women in Federal Law Enforcement’s (WIFLE) Leadership Training in Phoenix was pruning ground for building on the sacred foundation of creating a platform for change for women in law enforcement. Over the past 23 years, the vision of our organization’s Founding Mothers has been consistently geared toward ensuring an impactful Leadership Training as we continue to work toward the goal of achieving gender equality in policing.
It was during our Leadership Day -- which marked the official opening of our training -- that we heard positive statements of support from the newly appointed Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives (ATF) Director Steve Dettelbach, Deputy Director Marvin Richardson, and other notable officials. What WIFLE has always known – and will continue to emphasize is the importance of partnership! Effective law enforcement partnerships are the essential to ensuring the safety and security of our communities and help us neutralize evolving threats.
During my tenure as President of WIFLE, I made it a priority to maintain a strong relationship with our federal, state, and local partners. While serving in this capacity for more than 10 years, I also had the distinct honor of partnering and serving as a mentor to some of the most amazing women whose unfailing commitment to law enforcement is second to none. At the close of last year’s WIFLE’s Leadership Training, I expressed my heartfelt gratitude to scores of remarkable leaders and devoted friends, colleagues, and WIFLE members who supported my journey – which was truly a labor of love. I was proud to pass the leadership torch forward with a sense of unwavering confidence.
On February 1, 2023, WIFLE appointed Mrs. Catrina Bonus as the new President of WIFLE Foundation, Inc., and Executive Director of WIFLE, Inc. Following her recent retirement as Deputy Chief of the Secret Service’s Uniformed Division, I am certain President Bonus’ wealth of experience over the past 26 years will yield positive and impactful results for women in federal law enforcement.
In closing, I want to share some of my personal lessons learned with the new generation of law enforcement professionals who are following in our footsteps. Remember to stay focused, continue to build strong partnerships, recognize the importance of respecting and embracing diversity, and make it a priority to demonstrate random acts of inclusion in the workplace.
This column from the Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE) is part of the FEDforum, an initiative to unite voices across the federal community. The FEDforum is a space for federal employee and law enforcement groups to share their organizations’ initiatives and activities with the FEDagent audience.
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