Women on the Team

My name is Melony Bowman. I was born here in Austin, Texas, grew up in the Austin area and graduated from Pflugerville High School. I am a wife to another APD officer and a mother to two young children.

I didn’t come to be a police officer for the reasons that some people do—it wasn’t because of a mentor, or a role model, or because I was following a legacy. It was because of my father. My biological father lived a hard life and I didn’t have him in my life the way a daughter needs or wants a father to be. I rarely saw him when I was growing up because he suffered from drug and alcohol addictions and had been arrested on multiple occasions. He eventually changed his ways, and I believe that his experiences with the police and the time he spent in jail is what brought about that transformation.

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My decision to become a police officer came after I witnessed the good that law enforcement officers and the justice system can do. When I saw that my father was capable of change, I wanted to be a part of that change for someone else. His change didn’t come for years, but it did come. I am grateful for it because it allowed me to establish a better relationship with him as an adult and to spend time with him before he passed away. I chose this job hoping that I could positively affect someone else’s life in a similar way.

I started my career with the Austin Police Department in November of 2005. After graduating from the police academy I spent several years on patrol, working nights and evenings until my daughter was born. I then transferred to the Recruiting Unit where I worked a day shift and continued working for that unit after having my son. Playing such a vital role in the beginning stages of someone’s career was so rewarding for me. I later transferred to the Training Academy where I was assigned to the Continuing Education Unit. My job there involved training our commissioned police officers on a variety of subjects that are important to our work as police officers. I recently promoted to the rank of Detective and am currently serving in the Sex Crimes Unit where I investigate cases involving sexual offenses. 

What I love most about working for APD is that our police officers all have the same opportunities for change. At the rank of Police Officer there are a variety of jobs available in specialized units. After your required time on patrol, you can work those assignments with a lateral transfer rather than having to promote to a new rank to get there. It allows for a lot of flexibility and you’re constantly learning new skills. In my case, having an opportunity to switch from night shifts to a day shift made it much easier to grow my family. Then, when the timing was right, I was able to study for and take the promotional exam and embark on a new path in my career. It's really nice having so many options because you can find what fits your lifestyle.

If you are a woman who’s considering a career in law enforcement, my advice to you is this: do it! Don’t let anyone hold you back or question your abilities. You are more than capable.

My name is Amanda Santeford. I’m from right here in Austin, Texas, and I’ve been a police officer for 15 years. 

I didn’t always want to be a police officer. In fact, I think many people thought I would end up on the other side! I grew up in Williamson County where you would have thought it was illegal to be a kid. I struggled with my weight, had a somewhat turbulent youth and, at times, an abusive home life. I found my sanctuary riding my horse; I wanted to grow up to ride and train horses for a living. 

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I moved out when I was 16 years old and found out just how difficult life could be. I moved as far away from home as possible to Washington State but after only two years, I had to come home to the city I loved. I attempted to make amends with family and started working for the family business, doing private security for several high risk properties, but still had very little to no direction for my life in general. It was during that time that I met several Austin police officers and was always impressed by their mere presence and how they handled the issues at hand. One day, one of those officers urged me to consider a career in law enforcement. I thought about it and decided to take the plunge. I began working out to prepare for the academy and quickly found another passion in the gym. I can still remember my first day on the job and remember thinking I was in for the ride of my life. I fell in love with law enforcement. You have to love this, or it will make you crazy. To this day, I still believe I have the best job in the world! 

I always knew that Austin was the department for me. The city has so much to offer. The police department does as well. APD has so many opportunities in all different aspects of law enforcement: patrol, investigations, public relations, motors, bikes, etc. I’m currently assigned to the Mounted Patrol Unit. We do the job of a normal police officer (and then some); we just do it from horseback. The Austin Police Department has allowed me to combine two of my loves, horses and law enforcement. So I guess dreams really do come true!