Female criminal justice professionals share experiences at Trine event

Trine University’s Cold Case Unit hosted “Justice Unlocked: Women in Criminal Justice Symposium” in the Mark and Sarah Music/Ruoff Mortgage Esports Arena on March 25.

Panel members Allie Curdes, a Trine alumna serving as an officer with Angola Police Department, Hillary Cope, a Trine alumna serving as quartermaster for the Angola Fire Department, Sgt. Jesica Hyndman with the Indiana State Excise Police and Cari Martinez with Northeast Indiana Community Corrections shared their experiences and insights with 57 attendees.

“With March being Women's History Month, the Department of Criminal Justice wanted to take the opportunity to honor female performance and strides taken in the workplace,” said Erica Hutton, Ph.D., director of the Cold Case Unit and assistant professor of criminal justice.

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Criminal justice major Haleigh Loso said the event solidified her decision to pursue a law enforcement career.

“The women were clear about the hardships and the fun times in their career and gave the best advice on how I can better my future in becoming part of the law enforcement family,” she said. “They emphasized that they were able to take a situation and turn it into a story rather than just bullet points, which helps in prosecution.”

“I found it surprising the multiple ways one will try to evade law enforcement, mostly under the Excise Police,” she added.

Bryce Hufford, who will complete his bachelor’s and master’s degrees is criminal justice this spring, has wanted to be a police officer since he was very young. He said he attended the event to learn from experienced professionals, network and gain insight into current issues in law enforcement.

“One of the most valuable lessons I learned is that policing relies on a strong network and support system of family and friends,” he said. “Criminal justice can be an incredibly stressful field, and having people in your corner willing to offer guidance and stability is vital for a successful career.”

Faith Owen, a criminal justice major, said she attended the event to gain a better understanding of different criminal justice career paths.

“One of the main things I learned is that there are far more jobs in the criminal justice system than meets the eye,” she said. “Another key takeaway is that no matter which position you pursue in the criminal justice system, you must stay true to yourself. Several of the women discussed how tempting it is to always try to be as good as males, since the criminal justice field is mostly a male-dominated field. However, they emphasized that females complement males' abilities in this field.”

“Dr. Hutton does a fantastic job at not only supporting students in their academic endeavors but also at providing students with many opportunities to gain a deeper understanding of different aspects of the criminal justice system,” she added. “I have greatly enjoyed many of the events Dr. Hutton has orchestrated, including symposiums and presentations.”