DETROIT – Every year, the Detroit Public Safety Foundation holds an event to honor female first responders.
This year, the event was forced outside at the last minute, but authorities still found a way to honor 10 police officers, firefighters and EMS workers who are now public role models.
Detroit police Chief James Craig was quick to point out the number of women in the department, especially those who have climbed the ladder.
“I don’t think there’s any other major city police department in America that can tout the number of women in key leadership positions,” Craig said.
Between the Detroit Police Department and the Detroit Fire Department, there were 10 nominees for Officer and Fire Department Woman of the Year.
The winners were EMS Lt. Cristina Floristeanu and police Lt. Tonya Leonard-Gilbert.
While some of the other nominees said winning would be nice, their message of female empowerment was more important.
“That’s why I brought my daughter with me,” DPD Cpl. Tracey Miller said. “I have two daughters. I just got transferred to the police academy. The females who are interested -- you can do anything that you put your mind to.”
Both of the 2020 winners worked hard on COVID-19 plans for the police and fire departments.