Morristown, N.J. (August 28, 2020) – "I entered law enforcement to foster change within the community and to be a positive role model," says Jacqueline Carter, director of the Community Engagement Division for the Harris County Sheriff's Office in Texas. She is the first African American woman to hold this position in the agency.

Since her job centers on building relationships with the diverse citizens of Harris County, Jacqueline oversees five different community storefronts including the Youth Exploring Program, the Crime Prevention Unit, the National Night Out Campaign, the Citizen's Police Academy and the Youth Citizen's Police Academy.

Throughout her nearly 30-year career, Jacqueline has consistently striven for excellence by faithfully serving others. One of her main goals is to improve the relationship between law enforcement and the community by being an exemplary role model as a law enforcement professional.

"Every single thing that I'm involved in is done from the heart," says Jacqueline, who holds several professional certifications such as Rape Aggression Defense Instructor, Master Peace Officer, Certified Crime Prevention Specialist and more. "I love meeting people from all walks of life and being able to provide them with the resources for success."

As a member of the International Council of Women in Law Enforcement and the National Organization of Black Law Enforcement Executives (NOBLE), Jacqueline was asked to speak at a Police Studies Institute event on SEU's campus. After several conversations with Dr. Jim Ford, the chairperson of SEU's criminal justice department, during the event, Jacqueline became interested in the University's Master of Arts in Justice Administration and Public Service program.

Having already obtained a bachelor's degree in business administration and a master's in sociology and criminology, Jacqueline decided it was time to earn a degree in the criminal justice field directly.

"I believe that Saint Elizabeth's will allow me to expand my network of law enforcement professionals while conducting research about current criminal justice trends," explains Jacqueline. "I plan to retire in a few years and this degree would allow me to explore teaching criminal justice or crime prevention counseling."