21-year-old Makes History As First Black Female Officer at Local Police Department

The Livingston Parish News reported that Octavia Felder became the first African American female to ever serve in the Walker Police Department in Louisiana. Felder was approved by the Mayor and Board of Aldermen, upon the request of Walker’s Police Chief, David Addison. She was sworn in to protect and serve Walker, Louisiana’s, citizens at City Hall earlier this week, by Walker’s City Attorney, Bobby King.

Fox 44 News added that 21-year-old Felder developed a passion for policing after receiving a speeding ticket. She began volunteering and realized that working in the field was what she wanted to do. Additionally, Felder talked to Addison about being a reserve officer, according to BRproud.com. After Felder completed a series of tests, Addison remarked that they were proud to recommend her to the city council.

“My long-term goal, I want to be a homicide detective. So, hopefully, when I get the experience and training I need, I can use this along my journey,” Felder said during the FOX 44 news interview.

WGNO also reported that Addison said that it is good to help a young person Walker’s age to get started on a path that she may follow for the rest of her life.

“If one day she wishes to become full-time and we do have a full-time opening, and she completed her training, we’d be glad to have her full-time,” Addison also said in WGNO’s interview.

Felder explained that she never thought that she would be getting sworn in, but since she was standing there for that purpose, she is living proof that ‘they’ can do anything they want to do.

It is also noteworthy that WDSU News previously mentioned that Black women are blazing trails as lieutenant and sergeants within New Orleans’ Police Department’s (NOPD’s) 4th District in Algiers, although national numbers illustrate that very few women join police departments. Even fewer are Black women in command positions, according to the news station.

“The NOPD currently has 12 Black women serving in high leadership roles,” WDSU reported.

Felder took a historical step in another part of Louisiana, but it is also a meaningful one.