Shalonda Jennings knew she wanted to be in law enforcement but sought out other types of security work – at the Bonita Lakes Mall, East Mississippi Correctional Facility and Meridian High School – before finally joining the Meridian Police Department in 2017.

“I always wanted to be a police officer,” Jennings, 33, said. “I just wanted to be able to do more within the community.”

Now, the Southeast Lauderdale High School graduate is making history within the MPD as the first female officer with the motor patrol unit certified to work on a motorcycle. 

“Everything happened so fast – I didn’t think I would be as far as I am with the police department,” said Jennings, who has also earned her Crisis Intervention Team certification. “I prayed about it and everything fell in place.”

The biggest hurdle to being part of the motor patrol unit on a motorcycle wasn’t Jennings gender, but the motorcycle itself.

“Believe it or not, I had never rode a motorcycle before, so I was scared,” Jennings said with a laugh. 

But the feeling of riding on a motorcycle proved to be less stressful than Jennings expected.

“When you’re on that bike, it’s like you’re free,” Jennings said. “With the air hitting your face… it’s not anything like being in the patrol car.”

Though driving fast might be exhilarating, being on a motorcycle means riders must be extra cautious, Jennings said. 

“You definitely need to be more aware of your surroundings,” she said. “You’ve got to be extra careful with the bike because people don’t see you.”

Jennings will still have the option to use a patrol car on days when the weather is bad, working with a unit of officers responding to vehicle accidents, escorting funeral processions or disbursing traffic citations. 

Despite spending the last week patrolling on her motorcycle, Jennings said she didn’t think about the historic implications. 

“It never crossed my mind. I just tried out for it,” Jennings said about the “challenging” testing and classes. “I would show up on hot calls just like any other officer.”

Roughly 22 percent of the Meridian Police Department’s employees are women, with 25 out of 114 employees. Of all of the city’s departments, the police department employs the most women, white or black, according to a City of Meridian payscale from earlier this year.

Self-identified “tomboy” Jennings describes herself as the girl who played football with the boys and didn’t think twice about it. 

“A lot of females, they get so excited when they hear that I’m in this unit,” Jennings said. “But I want to encourage all women: whatever you want to do in life, you can achieve it… If you want something you can do it and I’m a living testimony of that.

“If law enforcement is something you want to do, go for it. You never know.”