Octavia Felder made history as the first police officers to join the Walker Police Department.
Felder was sworn in as a reserve officer on May 11, reported The Associated Press. At the tender age of 21, she will be the first Black female officer to serve in Walker, Louisiana. Walker is located about 20 miles east of Baton Rouge, Louisiana.
The magnitude of the moment was not lost on Felder.
“Going through my head, it was like wow, it’s really you standing up here. you did it. Today is the day you actually made history,” she told BR Proud.
Felder’s path to law enforcement started with a speeding ticket. After that, she started volunteering for the police department and discovered her passion.
“I fell in love with everything and everybody here. like the more, I started coming up here to volunteer and hang out. I realized that this was actually what I wanted to do,” said Felder.
She spoke with Walker Police Department Police Chief David Addison about being a reserve officer. After Felder she completed a series of tests, he recommended her to the city council.
“It’s good to help a young person her age to get started on a path that she may follow for the rest of her life,” he told BR Proud.
Felder’s position is part-time but Addison hopes to hire her as a full-timer in the future.
“If one day she wishes to become full-time and we do have a full-time opening, and she completed her training, we’d be glad to have her full-time,” he said.
Felder hopes to get a degree as she works toward her career goals.
“My long-term goal, I want to be a homicide detective,” she told BR Proud. “So, hopefully, when I get the experience and training I need, I can use this along my journey.”
Good luck, Octavia.
