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Home My WebLink About1981 04-01 This mom is a cop, paramedic THE REVIEW This mom is a cop, pc By MARY LEE HAGERT Carol's job as a police officer and paramedic has many challenges and she explains she is always in a (second in a series) learning process. She readily admits some of her tasks as well as the situations she finds herself in are Carol Nelson describes herself as"just another girl unpleasant. down the street." "There are times when you get mad,angry and She explains she is a homemaker and mother,who even find yourself swearing.But that's all part of the does all the cooking and cleaning in her home at 1776 job.I have discovered that if I maintain my voice Ide Street in Maplewood. level,I can keep control of things no matter how However,Officer Carol Nelson of the Maplewood difficult they are. Police Department is much more than her modest "Sure there are times when I get scared.But with description.She is probably the only woman police the training we officers have,we know how to handle paramedic in the United States. most situations.There are times when I'm alone,but Maplewood is one of a handful of cities m the nation we are close enough on this department that I always with police officers providing paramedic services. know my backup isn't far away." "We know of no other department that has a female During a typical day she handles traffic accidents, police officer who is also a trained paramedic,"says burglaries, traffic control situations, juvenile Lt.Dennis Cusick,who coordinates the Maplewood problems,domestic argument calls, shoplifting in- police paramedic program. cidents and even deaths. The community's 10 police paramedics provide Her duties have run the gamut,from explaining to a sophisticated medical care to patients in emergency 13-year-old that her mom has just committed suicide situations.The program is funded mainly by city to bringing a lonely old man prune juice. money,with supplemental funds coming from fees The best part of her job she says,"Is when I receive charged to patients. a thank-you note."Her worst experience has been"a The job of being both a police officer and a dog biting me on Christmas morning while on a call." paramedic is a tough one.Statistics show that the "burn-out rate"for paramedics is even higher than CAROL SEES her dual role of police officer and that of average police officers. paramedic as a new one for women in cities the size of Maplewood.She does not believe the role should be FOR CAROL her already difficult job is made even regarded as one that would threaten a woman's harder because she is a woman.She has had to con- feminity. centrate on developing powers other than physical to Even while in uniform,her short-cropped brown compensate for her lesser strength. hair is attractively styled in a curly hairdo and she Richard Schaller, Maplewood police chief, says wears make-up.But her intense blue-grey eyes leave "Carol carries her own weight and share of the no doubt that she is all business. workload.She doesn't ask or expect favors. When she first became a police officer,Nelson says "She knows that in order to be a successful police her friends were skeptical and thought she would"fall officer,she has to do all the duties of one.At the same flat on my face."But she has proven them wrong. time,"Schaller says,"she does a very good job of In fact,she is constantly expanding her own duties managing her other responsibilities, like being a and responsibilities.She has begun coordinating the paramedic." Emergency Medical Technician training program Carol describes herself as a"rookie all the way providedto the volunteer fire fighters in Maplewood. around."She became a police officer in 1978,the same The fire fighters assist the paramedics at emergency year she joined the Maplewood force.She received her scenes and transport patients in ambulances to paramedic certification in 1980. hospitals. She works a difficult shift from 11 p.m.to 7 a.m. Carol is one of a small number of police officers in Even when she is"off duty,"she keeps her police the Twin Cities who give public talks on sexual pager close by,Frequently she will be summoned assault. from her home to the police station because of an In a frank and open manner,she discusses such emergency call requiring paramedic services. "unspeakable crimes" as rape, incest, and child "I like what I'm doing,so I don't mind going out on molestation with members of women's clubs and calls.I can come quickly because I only live two and a organizations. half blocks away from the police station. "I'm-not a women's libber.I'm not a pioneer.I'm ONE QUESTION frequently asked is how she just doing what I can and having a good time.My became a police officer and paramedic? hours are a bit of a challenge,but we work around it," "Things just sort of gradually evolved,"says this Carol states. mother of four grown children. She was a legal She adds,"My first priority is to my home and secretary and statistical clerk during the 1950s before family.The other things fall into place." becoming a full-time homemaker. She explains that her family is aware of the hazards "I didn't work outside my home until my youngest faced by police officers."They know the risks in- child was in second grade,"she explains.While doing volved in my job.But driving a car is also dangerous." volunteer work in pediatrics at Mounds Park Hospital in St.Paul,she was hired as a medical transcriber in HAVING DUTIES that flirt with danger are nothing 1970.It was while working at the hospital that she new to the Nelson household.Carol's husband,Jerry, became interested in emergency medical care. has been a volunteer fire fighter with the Gladstone She took an emergency medical technician(EMT) Fire Department in Maplewood for many years. class in 1975.During that year she also joined the • kg'rf/Qi irame . ic .;,,i ,y,/ . ,,, , -,,4,1nr.„ mot - , . ail it / i a i I fiiii, `-- i OFFICER CAROL NELSON is about to transmit a radio message in a Maplewood paramedic patrol vehicle. volunteer Maplewood Police Reserve Unit. In 1976,she enrolled in an emergency cardiac care course and became a cardio-pulmonary resuscitation (CPR) instructor. She was hired as a community service officer by the Cottage Grove Police Depart- ment in 1977. In this capacity, she also assisted the Cottage Grove police paramedics. She describes her position at Cottage Grove in southern Washington County as a stepping stone to her current job. "My dream was to come here (the Maplewood Police Department)." SHE WAS HIRED by the Maplewood police force in July 1978 and became an active officer after com- pleting her schooling at the state's Bureau of Criminal Apprehension Division in November of that year. Carol says she enjoys every facet of her job and is interested in receiving more training in juvenile work, and on handling child abuse, sexual assaults and battered spouse cases. "Being a paramedic is a fantastic experience," Carol states. "We are in the people business.We hurt, we care and we give.I don't think you ever lose in this business." She adds,"If I can do what I'm doing today forever, then I will be happy." Despite the many exasperating and even depressing situations she encounters, Carol's spirits are usually high. One Maplewood city employee recently said,"I like to meet Carol in the hall. Just seeing her sparkling face and experiencing the feeling of vitality that she transmits makes me feel good." It is hard to image Officer Carol Nelson as ever being "just another girl down the street."