Her Story
About Shantae
I started my law enforcement career in 2003 as a correctional officer in Philadelphia, working there for about a year and a half before transitioning to the Philadelphia Sheriff's Office in 2006, where I have been ever since and currently serve as a Captain. In addition to my role at the Sheriff's Office, I am an adjunct instructor teaching ethical policing and crime prevention in graduate programs for law enforcement leaders, having taught at Seton Hall University for one year and at Accord University, an online school in Somalia, for a little over a year. What I find most rewarding about my career is being a role model for my family and my community - they're able to see tangible evidence of my work as a first responder, and the public respects my authority. Based on my research, I've learned that minority communities want representation, but they want active representation, and by being able to do what my research shows me is effective, I'm able to prove to my family and community that this is authentic work - I'm there to help, not to hurt. I'm passionate about balancing both the image and the authority of law enforcement with knowledge, because if you really want to make an impact, you need to learn as much as you can so you can go as far as you can and help more people.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Shantae
01What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my success to just being a mom, really. I'm a widow - my husband passed away when my youngest was just a baby, and I struggled to make sure they had a roof over their head and food on their table in a positive way. So I chose employment and education as my outlets. I started my bachelor's degree in 2007 when I was pregnant with my youngest daughter, and a couple of months after she was delivered in 2008, my husband passed away. I tried to tell the dean of the school that I was going to stop coming because I had to work, but they really encouraged me to keep going. I believe that grief is expressed in different ways, and I just grabbed onto education - I didn't realize that I was really using that as a form of support. Thank God I chose that outlet instead of other outlets. That was the driving force, unbeknownst to me, that led to me being Dr. Shantae Coppock. What my career has done for my family is what I'm most proud of - I love that I'm that role model for my family, and they're able to see tangible evidence of what hard work and perseverance can accomplish.
02What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Learn as much as you can. That's easier said than done, because people will not show you things or teach you things if you don't want to know. If you want to be that image of law enforcement where you just go ahead and stand on that corner, that's one thing. But if you really want to make an impact, you need to balance both the image and the authority, because the authority is real, with knowledge. So learn as much as you can, so you can go as far as you can, so you can help more people.
03What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
The most important values to me are authenticity and active representation in my community. I love that I'm a role model for my family - they're able to see tangible evidence of my work, and the public respects my authority. I think that's very valuable, especially during these times, to have someone look at you and know that you're from the same area. Based on my research, I've learned that minority communities want representation, but they want active representation. By being able to do what my research shows me is effective, I'm able to prove to my family that this is me - I can be that one person that you can look at and emulate, because I'm doing the work. It's authentic, it's not fake, it's not bogus, and my community sees it in return. They know I'm there to help, not to hurt.
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