At 21 years old, Janay Gasparini was working at a domestic violence shelter when she witnessed a compassionate moment between a police officer and a distressed young girl.
“I walked by the room where they had this young girl, the sunlight was streaming through the window – illuminating this police officer who was helping this little girl. It stopped me dead in my tracks. I immediately thought to myself, ‘That’s what I want to do.’ The next thing I know, I was in the police academy,” Gasparini recalled.
Gasparini graduated from the academy as “top cop” – the first female top cop in her county – and was hired with the town of New Paltz (N.Y.) Police Department in 2006. She later served as a police instructor, field training officer and crime scene technician.
Gasparini later transitioned from working full-time to part-time at the police department and went full-steam ahead as an educator, now working as an assistant professor of criminal justice at the State University of New York – Ulster and later earning her doctorate in criminal justice.
“Last summer, I got my dream job. I now work for the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. I get to research, write curriculum, do all sorts of things in the training realm, which is a dream come true,” she said.
In Police1’s newest eBook, “Elevating women in law enforcement: Strategies for professional growth and career development,” Gasparini shares her story, exploring the essential elements of career development for female officers, providing insights, practical advice and the tools necessary to navigate the path to success.
The eBook focuses on advancement opportunities, the power of education, and the inspiring stories of women leaders, all aimed at fostering a more inclusive and effective law enforcement community.
