Female Finest!

Elizabeth Hashagen

I love finding great stories!

People who inspire, excite, and make us all believe in all we can do are all across Long Island doing amazing things.

This week I'm introducing you to 2 women who are breaking the mold, following their dreams, and keeping all of us safe in process! 

Officer Kristie Rabkevich is now a member of Nassau County Police Motorcycle Platoon.

She's the first female to join their ranks, and getting there wasn't easy!

The bike the officers ride is called the Harley Road King and it weighs about 800 pounds, so manipulating it through the obstacle course is a tough task for any officer.

Each day of the 8 week course the officers would be given a new task to master.

What appeared to be the hardest -- slow speed maneuvers (moving at such a slow speed and not having the bike tip over-- yikes!).

Rabkevich says, "It was all of that and a totally exhausting, I think I've gotten the best sleep I have in a long time."

So, why did officer Rabkevich decide to go through the training and become the first and only female in the unit?

"I love riding.  It's very free and I have to admit I get a kick out of people doing a double take...like, hey, that's a woman!  So, and I'm very proud of my unit and it's a very unique unit and we're all very much a well oiled machine."

I spent the day with the officers as they finished their last day of training and I have to admit -- it was impressive.

Did you see how the officers were able to join a tight knit circle.  At one point they had 4 bikes all riding just inches apart.  I think they could take the act out on the road!

Another well oiled machine--Nassau's Emergency Service Unit.

Now among their ranks--Officer Sandra Richard.

Officer Richard has been on the force for almost 18 years.

17 of those years were in the 3rd precinct where she worked plain clothes details and patrol details within the precinct.

So I wondered, why leave?

"I think I was looking forward to learning new things, and I knew that this unit had a lot of training involved in it, and I think that was exciting for me to think that I'd be learning new things in that point of my career," Richard said.

Once she got called up to join the team, she had 6 months of training before she could work on the truck and patrol.

That half a year was full of classroom lectures and field training.

Everything from hazardous material--how to handle and control it (even spending 3 weeks out of the state to get specialized HAZMAT training).

Then there's auto extrication training, tactical training, high angle rescue and confined space rescue...

But when you talk to Officer Richard, she really down plays the fact that she's the first female doing this job.  Instead she really stresses her role on the team and the job they do.

"It's exciting, but I found police work in general exciting, being in patrol. I don't see this as a big difference for me, because I loved being in patrol.  Some people, I think, maybe go to another unit because they were sick of patrol. I really wasn't sick of patrol, I loved it. 17 years--people would say to me, "Hey, when are you going to slow down?" Slow down, I don't even know what that means, slow down. I worked a busy car, I worked with some great cops, and it was a heart wrenching decision, leaving to go, but I was looking forward to learning something new. I always feel like I have to...you know, and learn and figure out how to do it.  That's how I am--I feel like if I'm not learning new things, then I'm kind of bored.  I have to learn new things. That's it.  That's why I came here for the training. You don't get complacent here.  You can't because you'll get hurt and I learned so many things, amazing, amazing things here. "

We rode with ESU for the day and wound up all over the island--with heart pounding excitement!  I don't know if it's in my blood (from my dad being a firefighter), but I love going lights and sirens to a call!

It's such a rush!

We started in Bellmore, went to oceanside, Plainview and Farmingdale for all types of calls.

I could see first hand why the officers need so much training.  People really get themselves into all types of trouble.

Luckily, we have such amazing officers ready to respond!

Comments

[Elizabeth]

As the story says Officver Rabkevich is the first female member of the NASSAU COUNTY POLICE DEPARTMENT motorcycle platoon.
Officer Rabkevich may not be the first female to complete the training done in Nassau County-- but that is not what this story was about--
The story and the other on ESU were to profile NASSAU COUNTY POLICE-- females who are making their mark in the county department.

[Mary]

Elizabeth Hashagen, NOW FOR THE TRUTH! P.O. Tracy DioGuardio of the Port Washington Police District was the first Woman to be trained as a female officer by the N.C.P.D. for the Motorcycle Unit in 2002 and still rides along side with not only her own department but also with Nassau County and other Police departments in the tri state area. How dare Officer Kristie Rabkevich take the credit as trying to pull herself off as "first female police officer." Officer Kristie Rabkevichs even knows for a fact that she is lying when she has not only met and knows Tracy, but has spoken with P.O. Tracy DioGuardio at numerous times. News 12 and Officer Kristie Rabkevich owe's Tracy Diaguardio not only an apology but the credit and respect Tracy is due being that it was Tracy that worked hard so to make it easier for woman like Miss Rabkevich, but not for Miss Rabkevichto to lie and try to take credit. Just call Port Washington Police District 516-883-0500 for the correct information.

[Craig Portee]

I just wanted to say hello Liz & congrats on ur success!It's great to see a familiar face & such a great person doing well! Yours Truly Craig Portee