Sarasota’s first female SWAT officer prepares every day for the unknown
SARASOTA, Fla. - Before Jenna Harper became an officer with the Sarasota Police Department she had a career in social work and helped people through traumatic events, but she wanted to do more.
"Becoming a police officer, that puts me in the actual moment of helping someone versus what the person is dealing with afterward, being able to help a victim or a family member when they are in that moment and actually needed is what drove me to the profession," she said.
After joining the force, she set her sights on the SWAT team. She prepared herself physically and mentally for one of the most grueling and competitive tryouts of her life.
"I received support from people that I didn’t expect it from and I received less flattering comments from people I certainly didn’t expect it from," she shared.
It would take a lot of hard work and two attempts.
"To myself, I don’t give up I barrel forward, put more effort into it and gave myself another opportunity to be worth really," Harper explained.
Last September, Officer Harper earned her position on SWAT and became the first woman to make the team.
READ ‘It’s the best job’: First female deputy on Manatee County SWAT team proves there are no boundaries
"You have that balance of wanting to prove people wrong but also leaning on the people who are supporting you to the best you can do," she said.
After five years with the Sarasota Police Department, Officer Harper goes into work every day prepared for the unknown, ready to help and to serve her community.
"There's a trust that you establish with these people that you are standing next to so ultimately you trust them with your life. Being able to work with somebody like that is irreplaceable," she said.
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