Sgt. Ramona Washington has had big ambitions and an enthusiasm for learning from an early age.

At 18, three days after the birth of her daughter, she was eager to start college. Her mother convinced her to wait until spring semester to attend community college. While there, she earned certifications that allowed her to choose between work as a jailer and a police dispatcher, and helped her earn a living while pursuing her bachelor’s at UNT. After joining the UNT Police Department 15 years ago, she spent two years on patrol before getting a job in the Investigations Division.

“I started working sexual assault and crimes against women and realized I had a knack for it,” Washington says. “I love being a detective. The work can be disheartening at times, but the good parts outweigh the stress. I’m in a position to help people who can’t always help themselves.”

The stability of working in the Investigations Division also allowed her to have more time with her daughter, and to continue to pursue her education. She graduated from UNT in 2015 with a master’s degree. The year after, she was promoted to sergeant. Currently, she helps manage the caseload at UNT and teaches a criminal justice class at North Central Texas College.

She was forward-thinking from a young age, knowing that she wanted to pursue a career in the criminal justice field, and she offers this advice to students who seek to go down a similar path: “Think about the things you are doing right now that could impact you in the future. You may think your credit, driving record, social media posts or drug use doesn’t matter for your future – but it’s important to think about now. There are no take-backs.”

The path that led Washington here is one that she cherishes every day. It’s one that has allowed her to meet prestigious people, working police detail for Coretta Scott King, John Legend, Patti LaBelle and others.

“This is a great place to work – it has always felt like a family department,” says Washington. “It gave me the opportunity to bring my daughter here and instill in her early in her life that even though we may be diverse, we can have the same experiences and become friends.”

Three things to know:

• She has a twin sister and they look so alike people often confuse the two of them.
• She recently got married and now has two stepchildren.
• She lives and breathes police work and wouldn’t trade her experiences for anything in the world. “I think it’s so important to be reflective of the community you serve and I’m happy that I get to show other females and minorities that they can do this.”