Carmen Diaz:
Highbridge's Officer Friendly

By Erin Arnold
Contributing Writer

When Carmen Diaz was a young girl growing up in Harlem, she asked her mother, Ramonita Diaz, why there were no police officers that reflected the community. Her mother told her that if she were truly concerned about it, she would have to make those changes on her own.

What her mother said stuck with her. She earned her associate’s degree in liberal arts from LaGuardia Community College. She then went on to John Jay College of Criminal Justice. In 1985, while studying at John Jay, she saw a flyer advertising the exam to become a police officer.

“I took the test on a whim,” Ms. Diaz said. “I never expected to do so well, and I was surprised when I got the call offering me a position.”

That call came from the 44th precinct. She opted to take the job—a choice she has been happy with ever since. Seventeen years later, she is still as passionate as when she began. As a senior officer in the 44th precinct’s community affairs department, she runs two programs for youth—the Police Athletic League (P.A.L.) program and the Young Explorers Program.

The Police Athletic League (P.A.L.) Program encourages children as young as age 10 to get involved and play sports with the police officers.

“That is the age when they first start getting approached about gang activity,” said Ms. Diaz, who still lives in Harlem. “When they come out and play basketball and volleyball games, we get to know them and then we can start helping them with other things, such as academics and behavior.”

The Explorers Program that Ms. Diaz runs is open to young men and women who are at least 14 years old and interested in law enforcement. Participants gain insight into the law profession and meet strong role models who stress good decision-making. The kids also learn crime statistics, and they learn about how the law works.

“We discuss penal law with the kids and how they would be tried if they commit certain crimes,” she said. “It is important for them to know the consequences if they involve themselves in gang or criminal activity. In some cases, they could be tried as an adult and it is important for them to be aware.”

Ideally, each child stays in the program until they are 18. Diaz stressed the importance of neighborhood youth maintaining strong relationships with the officers.

“Sometimes the kids feel better talking to us as opposed to the parent,” she said. “We can then give them direction and advice when they don’t feel comfortable telling anyone else.”

Officer Diaz also teaches her own form of discipline: the tough-love approach.

“If they use profanity in my presence, I make them do pushups,” she said. “But I don’t ask them to do anything I can’t do,” she laughed. “I may be 46 years old but I can still do push-ups and sit-ups. Besides, if they were ever to hear me using profanity, they could request the same punishment of me.”

Though Diaz is very satisfied with her position and the current state of the programs that she runs, she knows there is always room for improvement.

“I would like to see more parents get involved,” she said. “If they would come out and help organize or chaperone or run programs, it would be great. Rarely do I meet parents unless I have to do a house visit.”

Diaz’s interest in the community doesn’t end with the parents of the children in her programs. She happily attends any tenants association meetings or community interest group meetings that extend her an invitation.

That support doesn’t go unnoticed.

“I have known her for several years, and she is very involved with the kids from the community,” said Yolanda Romero, a Highbridge resident. “She always has time for you on the phone and she comes to tenant meetings whenever we ask. She is 110% involved.”

Rosa Rea, who works in the community and who is a former volunteer at the 44th precinct, commented on Diaz’s image within the area. “The people in the community love her,” she said.

Diaz too is optimistic about her relationship with the community. She recognizes that coming into a typically male-dominated field can be daunting at times, but she said most people treated her with respect.

Now looking forward to retirement in three years, she knows she will still stay in community-based work. Come July of 2005, she will have put in 20 years of service with the New York Police Department, and that is typically when officers retire.

She hasn’t made any concrete plans about where she will go from here, but she said she is hoping to continue community work because she has received so much satisfaction from her job.

“This is a great community and the people have been fabulous,” Ms. Diaz said. “They have embraced me both in the uniform and out. Most recently, with the events of September 11, the overwhelming acts of kindness that people have shown just amaze me.”

One thing she has learned over the years is that her mother will always support her decisions.

“My mother is my hero,” Officer Diaz said. She didn’t want me to become a police officer, but she is the one who planted the seed. She told me that she will always pray for me and support me, even if she doesn’t agree with my choices.”