As a top leader in one of Indiana’s largest police departments, IMPD Assistant Chief of Police Catherine Cummings (GradCert’13) knows her position comes with a lot of pressure. But the O’Neill alumna says that pressure extends well beyond her professional responsibilities.
“When you’re one of the first women to do something, you feel it’s very important that you are successful because that matters to the people who are coming behind you,” she says. “One of the reasons I take this job very seriously is so that other women will have a better and more professional road than I had.”
Cummings is only the second woman to serve as an assistant chief within the department. She worked her way up from a patrol officer through various positions but admits the climb wasn’t always easy. Especially as a woman in law enforcement.
“I’ve encountered more than one issue of misogyny,” she admits.
She thinks back to her time at the academy. She was excelling both physically and academically but says that wasn’t enough for some in her class.
“Even though I was outperforming them, I still had men in my class who had the audacity to tell me women didn’t belong in law enforcement,” she recalls. “For me, those wires didn’t connect.”