Sergeant Lisa Hayes has seen a lot of changes in the makeup of local law enforcement over the course of her career. Perhaps the most exciting change for the 23-year-veteran of the Emporia Police Department, Hayes said, has been bringing more women into the ranks. “I believe more women are going into the field and are empowered to go into the field and want to do this type of work,” she said. “We are definitely getting to record numbers here.” Between the Emporia Police Department, Lyon County Sheriff’s Office, Emporia State University Police and Safety and Lyon County Detention Center — while detention officers aren’t commissioned to enforce laws, they are classified as law enforcement officers by the state of Kansas — there are more than 20 women working in law enforcement.
Source: Emporia Gazette
