Exciting and extraordinary - this is how PMaj. Maria Aurora Cruz, chief of police of Currimao town in Ilocos Norte described the law enforcement profession.
 
Inspired by her father, who is a retired police officer, she pursued the career after she graduated from college with a degree in Political Science.
 
In an episode of “Girls Talk with PIA: A Conversation on Women Empowerment and Individuality,” she shared her career journey and how she leads her team to foster peace and order in the community.
 
“It is true that the police profession is a male-dominated field. That is one of the reasons it’s exciting for me as a woman police chief because I am proof that women are not and should not be limited,” Cruz said.
 
As a police chief, she exercises patience at all times in dealing with her team, assisting civilians, and interacting with officials.
 
Cruz recognizes the importance of considering all ideas and recommendations from her team and residents in making the correct decisions and creating programs to better the community.
 
She believes in leading by example and sharing her knowledge of past and new experiences to inspire her team to emulate and learn from.
 
In December 2023, she was recognized as one of the 10 Outstanding Police Officers in the province for administrative and support services.
 

She gave credit to her whole team for their transparency.
 
Inspired by the increasing number of women entering the police force, Cruz offered the advice that they should be both physically and mentally prepared to perform their responsibilities in the community.
 
“Being a police officer is extraordinary because we are expected to be jack-of-all-trades, because of the multiple responsibilities we have in the community. We are not just sticking to capturing criminals – we are peacekeepers, we have police nurses, we have police lawyers, so name it, the police can do it,” she said.
 
Cruz admits that the police profession takes 70 percent of her time, so she does not get a lot of chances to spend time with her family and herself, she finds peace in the feeling that she found a second family with her team at Currimao Municipal Police Station.
 
“If you love your profession or your work, you are happy to serve your community,” she said.
 
Cruz and Lt. Aimee Laggui of Adams Municipal Police Station are the only female chiefs of police in the province - truly an inspiration to young women dreaming of entering the field to be brave and ready to take on the many responsibilities that come with being a police officer.(JCR/MJTAB/EJFG, PIA Ilocos Norte)