New “COPS” episode to feature Salinas Police
The Salinas Police Department will once again be featured in an episode of the popular crime show, “COPS.” The department hopes it will encourage people to pursue a career in law enforcement.
With the help of voter-approved Measure G funds, the department wants to fill 28 positions. There’s a push to hire more women in the male-dominated field. Only 5.8 percent of the Salinas police workforce are women, less than the national average of 13 percent. The Monterey County Sheriff’s Office says 13 percent of its workforce are women; the Santa Cruz County Sheriff’s Office is closer to 20 percent.
“We want to diversify the department and have a department that’s representative of our community,” Sgt. Kim Robinson said. “But in addition to that, there are calls we go on where people want to speak to a female officer. Whether it’s a victim or a suspect, we come into contact with people daily that would prefer to speak with a female.”
The National Center for Women and Policing says female officers make a huge difference. Citing different studies, they say they rely less on physical force and are more effective communicators, able to defuse potentially violent situations before they turn deadly.
Officer Gabriela Garibay has been with the Salinas police for eight years. The Salinas native says she knew in high school that she wanted to be in law enforcement.
“My mom saw an ad in the paper that they were recruiting explorers for the CHP,” Garibay said. “So I started the program and that’s where I learned police work and that’s what sparked my interest.”
She hopes other women will pursue a career in the field. The Salinas Police Department is actively recruiting new officers. Other agencies, like the Monterey County Sheriff’s Office, are also looking for a few good women.
It’s all in an effort to change the face of the force.
“Do good in school, go to college, go on plenty of ride-alongs,” Garibay said. “If you’re serious about doing this job, talk to as many police officers as you can, learn about the job and go forward with it.”