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Five questions for Tuckahoe Police Lt. Peggy Belles:
- How long have you been a police officer, and have you been an officer anywhere but in Tuckahoe?
I have been an officer for 17 years, and the only place I have worked as an officer is Tuckahoe.
- Why did you become a police officer?
I was interested in a career in the law, maybe as a paralegal or something along those lines. Then a friend was going to take the test to become an officer and I decided to take it too. I did well and entered the police academy. As soon as I got to the police academy, I realized this was definitely what I wanted to do. I have never looked back.
- What do you love about your job?
I always love dealing with the youth and I love teaching. My job allows me to meld those things together. I love dealing with the new officers, showing them things. And I love dealing with the juvenile cases trying to make an positive impact on the life of a kid who may be having trouble. And the best part is that because we are a small community, I get to see the fruits of my labor.
- Do you recommend your profession?
Absolutely. But it is just like any other profession you have to love what you do. And you cant fool anyone, especially kids. They always know if you love what you do and they respond to that.
- What do you hear about most from Tuckahoe residents?
In our community, we have genuine relationships with people. I am not going to say we never get complaints about parking tickets, but more often, I have people asking me for help with personal problems. It all goes to our mission statement to have a partnership with those we serve. No call is too insignificant, no question unimportant. My goal is to always provide community orientated policing.
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