On this day in Black History, on March 14, 2005, Detective Cynthia J Hood was promoted to the Rank of Sergeant, making her the first and only female of African American descent ever in the history of the City of White Plains Police Department to hold this position.
Cynthia J. Hood shattered the glass ceiling several times, the first time in 2003 when she was appointed the first African American Female Detective, then again in 2005 when she was promoted to the first African American female Sergeant and as the first African American Detective Sergeant in the history of the White Plains Police Department.
Cynthia J. Hood started her career in law enforcement on November 17, 1986, when she first joined the City of White Plains Police Department and was sworn in as a Police Officer.
She held various positions throughout her career, working in the Patrol Division, Traffic Division, Undercover Narcotics Unit, Minority Recruiting, and Administration. She was chosen to be a member of the department’s first Bike Patrol Unit, where she completed extensive training with the New York City Police Department. This was the beginning of her historical career with the White Plains Police Department, as she is proud to have been the FIRST female assigned to this unit. She has had an abundance of training and was certified by the New York City Police Department’s Detective Bureau as a Sex Crimes and Child Abuse Investigator. She also showed her expertise on the shooting range, receiving a marksmanship award for exceptional firearms skills.
On December 8, 2003, she was appointed to Detective 3rd grade, becoming the Department’s FIRST African American female promoted to this position. After a short assignment as a Patrol Supervisor, she was transferred to the Detective Division, where she was assigned to the Victim’s Services unit.
On March 13, 2005, she was promoted to the Rank of Sergeant. This promotion, as well as her Detective appointment, was historically significant because she is the first and only female of African American descent ever in the history of the City of White Plains Police Department to have held both of these positions. It would be 17 years later before another African American female would be promoted to Sergeant.
As a Detective Sergeant, she was assigned to the Community Advocacy and Strategic Initiatives Division (CASI), where she supervised the Victim Services Unit, working with crime victims and victims of Domestic Violence. One of the highlights of her career and supervising this unit was collaborating with a team of 9 agencies, allowing her to develop and implement the White Plains Police Department’s Reentry Program, assisting male inmates transitioning back into the White Plains community after incarceration, resulting in lower rates of recidivism, and providing the necessary resources for them to be productive members of their community.
On November 17, 2006, Detective Sergeant Hood retired after twenty years of dedicated service to the city of White Plains. Retired Det/Sgt. Cynthia Hood has been a member of the Westchester Rockland Guardians Association and currently holds the position of Treasurer.
Black Westchester celebrates Cynthia J. Hood for shattering glass ceilings and paving the way for other African American Women in Law Enforcement!
Excerpt from the book, “Black Westchester Celebrates Black Women Of Westchester,” available on Amazon or email BlackWestchesterMag@gmail.com to purchase your autographed copies.
