The Observer Newspapers |

August 8 , 2008

Officer's Public Service Started With the Herndon Explorers

The Town of Herndon police place a strong emphasis on community policing and their partnership with the community. In this series, The Observer will profile officers who work and live near or grew up in the Herndon community.

By Rebecca Plevin

Observer Staff Writer

Corporal Denise Randles became involved in the town's police force at a young age. Randles, who grew up in town, joined the Herndon Explorer post at age 16 and had the opportunity to learn about law enforcement and participate in town events. "I liked being out there," she said. "Ride-alongs, at the time, were fun," she said jokingly.

Randles' two children are being exposed to the police squad at an even younger age. Randles said she often brings the kids to the station, so they can see where she and her husband, who also is a member of the Herndon Police Department, work. "They love looking at the cruisers," she said. "I'm glad that the kids can come and see what my husband and I do."

Randles said that after her positive experience with the Explorers, she was "dead set" on pursuing a career in law enforcement. But she said she is not going to steer her children down the same path. She said she wants them to "explore all their options," but she would be supportive of them following in their parents' footsteps.

Randles worked for the Town of Purcellville Police Department for about a year before joining the Herndon squad. In her eight years with the HPD, she has worked as a crime prevention specialist and has been the coordinator of the Explorers program. And while she is completely dedicated to her job with the town police, she said she is also a full-time mother. "I love being a Mommy," she said. When she is not working, she said, "We do Mommy-son things."

Randles said she cares about protecting the environment and she would like to see the police department purchase hybrid vehicles. "I would love for us to be the first police department in the area" to use hybrid cars, she said. She said it might be expensive to replace the police cruisers with more environmentally friendly cars, but she said purchasing just one hybrid car "takes one cruiser off the street." She said the environment is a big concern for her because "it might not affect me, but it might affect my kids."

Between patrolling the streets and raising her children, Randles said she maintains her sense of calm by practicing yoga almost every morning. She said she likes the energy she builds through yoga and said it is also good for her mental health and for relaxation. She said her children sometimes try to do yoga, too.