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Callaloo 29.4 (2007) 1355-1365

Officer Sabrina Richardson
with Michael S. Collins

COLLINS: Are you from New Orleans, originally?

RICHARDSON: Yes, I am born and raised in New Orleans. I grew up in New Orleans East. So yes, the house that I grew up in was under water for two weeks. Actually, my apartment—I was living out in Metairie, so my apartment was actually fine. I had minor roof damage, but my parents lost everything. My parents and my sister, they lost it. My whole family, they lost everything. I was fine, my apartment's fine, but my family lost everything.

COLLINS: So where are they? Did they relocate or are they . . . ?

RICHARDSON: They are in San Antonio, Texas. They do plan on returning to New Orleans. It's just that my mom's not necessarily [enthusiastic] about returning to the East, so it's about finding somewhere for them to go where they're comfortable. My parents are older so they're looking for somewhere that's convenient . . .

COLLINS: Did they get help from FEMA?

RICHARDSON: Yes, I believe they did. As they relocated to San Antonio, they did. (My nine-year-old son was with his dad in DeSoto, Texas. I always send him off with his dad in DeSoto.) But my parents and my family, they did receive assistance from FEMA and housing while they were in San Antonio.

COLLINS: So from your point of view, FEMA worked out OK?

RICHARDSON: Yes, they helped out my family fine. They were lucky. They weren't one of those FEMA horror stories, so . . . [laughs] I mean their house, as I said, was under water for two weeks. So FEMA couldn't [deny them]. They saw it was just gone.

COLLINS: So why did you decide to join the police force?

RICHARDSON: Ah, that's interesting. I was actually—I was working at a bank and a friend of mine wanted to become a police officer. However, she didn't want to—and this [End Page 1355] is in '99—she didn't want to take the test by herself. She was like, "Sabrina please come with me. Just—I need your support." I'm like, "Girl, look. I'm doing this, I'm doing that, I don't have time to . . ." So I go with her to take the test. She fails the test; I pass the test. The next thing I know I'm in the academy; next thing, you know, I'm on the street—I'm loving it. I've been here for seven years now. [laughing]

COLLINS: So, how many women are on the force?

RICHARDSON: I don't know an exact number. I would say a little under . . . maybe a third of the department, give or take a few. However, I'm starting to notice we do have more women joining the force now than we did years ago.

COLLINS: And why—because they're recruiting?

RICHARDSON: We're trying to get our girl power thing going here. [laughing]

COLLINS: [laughing] I mean, but do you have a specific recruiting drive or is it just happening that way?

RICHARDSON: I think it's just happening that way. I mean, you have more single—not necessarily single—but more parents with children. And the police department offers great benefits. So I think that's what it is. It's a job opportunity, you know? And nowadays women are just changing what we do. Women are just enjoying it, or it's a job, and we like it. Women are just getting more active and wanting to do those active jobs that maybe years ago were taboo for women.

COLLINS: Right. But do you find that it makes any difference, in terms of how you deal with suspects or how suspects respond to you? Or even how male police officers respond to you? Does being a woman make a difference?

RICHARDSON: Yes. As far as the male officers are concerned, you usually get two responses from them as a female officer. One...

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