What typically comes to mind when you think of a law enforcement job? For Deputy Quintana, who has been with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office (ACSO) since 2006, her career path had an unexpected start. After earning her degree in criminal justice, she wanted to pursue a career in that field. However, Deputy Quintana soon had to rethink her plan of becoming a probation officer.
“I lacked the right experience, so I decided to apply for a deputy sheriff position that worked in the jail,” she says.
Rethinking her professional plan rewarded Deputy Quintana with the opportunity to join Arapahoe County and develop her skills.
“I was shocked when I was selected from a pool of over 200 applicants,” she reflects.
Now, Deputy Quintana is a school resource officer (SRO) at a charter school, where she plays a crucial role in fostering positive relationships with the students and surrounding community.
Below, she shares the daily responsibilities of her role, how she’s been supported by internal leadership to succeed, and advice for those hoping to carve out a long-lasting career in law enforcement.
What led to your job at the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office, and how did you know the organization would be a good fit?
I initially viewed the role as a stepping stone, providing the experience I needed within the criminal justice system to move on to probation. After completing my training in detentions, I knew ACSO would be a good fit because of the welcoming training officers and personnel. I had a great team of helpful coworkers who became my friends by the end of my first year.
What are your core responsibilities as a school resource officer? Why does this work excite or inspire you?
My main responsibility as an SRO is to ensure the safety and security of the students, but I’m also an educator and an informal counselor. Currently, I’m assigned to a charter school that serves kindergarten through eighth grade. I love that the school has younger children and middle school kids. I enjoy interacting with them throughout the day, from the lunchrooms to the classrooms. I like to hear directly from them that they feel safe and respect law enforcement. The bond I form with them melts my heart.
You have over 18 years of service with the Arapahoe County Sheriff’s Office. Throughout your career, you’ve made a significant impact across multiple bureaus and departments, including detentions, patrol, courts, and school resources. In what ways were you empowered to move up and within ACSO? How did leadership personally support and encourage your trajectory?
Over the past 18 years, working for Arapahoe has been a great experience. I’ve been able to work within different bureaus and departments. I’ve gained so much knowledge and experience, helping me become better at my job and allowing me to mentor new cadets.
Supervisors have been supportive and encouraging. Some have even gone above and beyond to provide guidance and ways to improve work processes. You’ll feel empowered once you find what best suits you—and that’s a wonderful part of working for a sheriff’s office. You can make an entire career in one department or grow and try different things. I’m always looking for something new to learn.
Looking back on your law enforcement career, how have you grown or evolved as a deputy and leader? Is there an especially surprising or unexpected moment that facilitated or influenced your growth?
Over the years, my experience has aided my growth, and as a result, I’ve been able to guide new cadets and others aiming for a career in this field. It’s not an easy career, and it’s not for everyone. There were times I questioned whether I was the right person for the job—but when I saw the difference I made in a person’s life, I knew this was what I wanted to do.
What’s one accomplishment or milestone that you’re most proud of achieving during your law enforcement career? Why?
Completing the police academy was challenging and stressful. I had never shot a gun before, and you’re expected to shoot at a target and be close to perfect. I felt a real sense of accomplishment when I was finally able to meet that standard.
A crucial part of your role as an SRO involves fostering positive relationships with students and ensuring their safety. Can you elaborate on how you’ve built and maintained relationships with the students and the local community? How have you established trust and worked to become a positive role model?
I engage with the students, parents, and community daily. My morning starts with patrolling the neighborhood, ensuring traffic runs smoothly, and enforcing parking rules around the school. I talk to parents during morning drop-off and afternoon pickup. I’ve gotten to know many parents by being present during pickup and drop-off.
I spend time with students during lunch and recess, where I talk to them about their day, weekend, and anything else they want. I’m also in the classrooms; I talk to students about my job, answer their questions, and educate them on what’s trending within their age group and how they can make appropriate choices. My main goal is to make them feel comfortable enough so they see I’m a trustworthy adult. I’m also fortunate to be at after-school events, which allow me to talk with parents and family members.
What’s the most challenging aspect of your role? What lessons or takeaways have you applied to your law enforcement career?
The most challenging aspect is forming a relationship with the middle schoolers. As we all know, they think they’re too cool to talk to adults (haha), but I work on building those relationships. My main priority is to serve as a positive role model, deterring students from making adverse choices that will negatively impact their lives.
What’s one thing you wished you’d known about the law enforcement field before you began your career?
There isn’t one thing—you can’t understand the job until you’re in it. There are many people who will never understand why we do what we do. I was one of those people before doing this job. I’ve realized that I’m responsible for keeping everyone safe and coming home to my family at the end of the day.
What advice would you give those—particularly young adults—striving to work in law enforcement? How can they be successful in their careers at the office and beyond?
Success is all about communication! Learning how to talk to people is a big part of our job. Good communication skills help people feel they can talk to the actual person underneath the uniform. Treat people with respect, but get the job done. Never let your guard down; always take care of each other so everyone can go home at the end of the shift. Familiarize yourself with your agency’s policy and procedure, which will keep you in line and out of trouble. Always do the right thing because you know everyone has an eye on you, especially with the prevalence of social media.