Girl Power!

Story and Photo by Kristin Coulter,
Leader Troop 3573

Most crimes are committed by males, Denver Police Department Officer Sharon Avendaño, explained during an October meeting with Park Hill 8th and 9th grade Senior Girl Scouts.

And while the Denver Police Department is only approximately 10 percent female, women are important to the force. She told the girls that female police officers, just by virtue of being female, often have greater power to defuse potentially volatile situations between the police and citizens.

In Avendaño’s experience, when testosterone levels are high, intense situations can quickly deteriorate. However when a female police officer is involved, often a citizen’s anger can be diffused and you can hear a few “yes ma’am’s.”  The Denver native and former Girl Scout Brownie says she has been on the force for 20 years and has never had to fire her gun or a Taser.

Girl Scout Troop 3573 invited Avendaño, the District 2 Community Resource Officer, to their troop meeting on Oct. 13 to learn about law enforcement in general and as a potential career. The teenage scouts also learned about the Cadet Program. The program allows high school graduates interested in a career in public safety (police officer, firefighter or deputy sheriff) a part-time job and tuition at either Metro State University of Denver or the University of Colorado Denver.

After a lively chat about her adventures on the force, Avendaño told the girls to study hard in school so that all career options are open to them.