North Bay Woman

F A L L 2 0 1 6 | NORTH BAY WOMAN 47 10 QUESTIONS with San Rafael Police Chief Diana Bishop D iana Bishop has served as San Rafael's chief of police since 2012. North Bay Woman was curious about the challenges of community policing in Marin and being a woman in a position almost solely held by men across the United States. Only 1 percent of police chiefs in America are women. 1 How old were you when you knew you wanted to be a police officer? I was in my early 20s and I went on a couple of ride-alongs with friends who were Palo Alto police officers. Both worked the midnight shift and I enjoyed the autonomy, the challenge of not knowing what was coming next, and the ability to have a positive impact in someone's life. After I was an officer for several years my father was cleaning out his garage and found some "artwork" I had done on construction paper when I was in kindergarten. It is a crayon drawing of a rather round police officer with the words, "I am going to be a police lady when I grow up." My teacher obviously wrote the words. I had no recollection of that and don't know where I would have gotten that idea in 1967. 2 Did you have other career aspirations or was law enforcement always your focus? Before the ride-alongs I had always wanted to be a high school physical education teacher and a coach. I coached field hockey and soccer for four years at my old high school. 3 Tell us about your education and the path that led to San Rafael. My formal education path was not a smooth one. I did not really appreciate the value of education when I was younger. I was hired by the Santa Clara Police Department in 1985 and worked on finishing my bachelor's degree and obtaining my master's degree while I was working full time. My degrees in public administration and my almost 27 years of experience in Santa Clara prepared me well for my current position. 4 Is there a history of police work in your family? What did your parents do? No. My mother was a stay at home mom until we were older, then studied to be a marriage family therapist. She is still working. My father was a finance executive for several technology companies. He is retired. 5 How hard was it to break into a role that is traditionally held by men? When I started as an officer in 1985 it was not easy being a female. I definitely took my lumps and had to develop a thick skin and learn which battles were worth fighting. Those lumps paved the way for any officer today who doesn't fit into the traditional mold. 6 What are the challenges that come with being a police chief in Marin County that most people, particularly people outside Marin, do not realize? I don't think many people realize that Marin has the same concerns that other counties have, but just to a lesser extent. In San Rafael we deal with "big city" issues along with quality of life issues. A chief must think about both. Other areas of Marin have different challenges. A chief >> Con't on pg. 49 San Rafael Police Chief Diana Bishop at the San Rafael police station in September 2016. – Photo by Stuart Lirette

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