Melissa Desmarais has achieved a lot of firsts in the history of the Palm Springs Police Department. Since 2002, she’s achieved the distinction of the first female motorcycle officer, first female sergeant and, now, the first female lieutenant the department has ever promoted.
In her 13 years working in Palm Springs, the Las Vegas native has done just about everything. She’s patrolled the streets, secured the Palm Springs International Airport, conducted field training and now performs administrative duties.
The only thing she hasn’t done is let the under-representation of women in law enforcement roles hold her back. Only 26 percent of law enforcement officers in the U.S. are women and, of that, only 9.6 percent ever reach the rank of sergeant or lieutenant, according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation. – READ MORE
