LEXINGTON, Ky. — A recently promoted police officer at the Lexington Police Department has broken barriers within the department.
Thomasena Grider was promoted from sergeant to lieutenant just weeks ago, marking the first time in department history a Black woman has held that role.
Grider has been with the department since 2006 and is a 17-year veteran in the field.
“My degree was in sociology, so I love people and what better way than joining the police department,” Grider said.
Grider said it’s humbling to be the first to hold the role.
“I am extremely honored to have that. I’m also like it’s 2023, and this is the first, but you know someone has to do it so I’d rather get it going and have more follow along behind that,” Grider said.
In 2019, Grider was also the first Black woman to be named a sergeant in the department. Now, she’s embracing stepping into a higher up leadership role.
“What I’m looking forward to is just being that person, the voice to get more things for the officers to help them do their jobs better and also to be out there in the community trying to normalize us as police officers,” Grider said.
Grider looks to normalize a profession whose core values are to protect and serve its citizens. But it’s a profession that is battling mistrust due to increased scrutiny over police killings nationwide. Grider said she wants to alleviate fears some members of the community may have toward officers.
“Building the trust, rebuilding the trust and also just showing that the police department is not just in one box that most people put them in, and then hopefully people will see that they could also see themselves at this department and apply,” Grider said.
She’s broken plenty of glass ceilings and hopes others soon follow suit.
“I would like our department to eventually represent what our community looks like—so yes, Black females, Hispanic females, Asian, it doesn’t matter. We just want our department to be representative of the community we serve,” Grider said.
It’s a job that is not always easy, but can be rewarding. When times get tough, Grider said it’s important to have a support system.
“We keep ourselves motivated, you know, we check in on each other. My family they make sure I’m good and friends outside of the department check in,” Grider said.
Grider said her most fulfilling work thus far is when she worked with the department’s crimes against children unit and got justice for children living in deplorable and unsafe situations.
She currently works the overnight shift in the department’s east sector.