Norway Police Officer Jillian Douglas A.M. Sheehan
NORWAY — Jillian Douglas, 22, of Norway graduated from OHCHS in 2019, went off to college to study criminal justice, then worked for a bit for Oxford Fire Department, and the Oxford County Regional Communications Center before coming “home” last fall to work for the Norway Police Department. “There were times when I considered other careers but I always come back to law enforcement.”
Her grandfather, whom she lost last year, was the police chief in Milton, NH and her family tells her how proud he would be of her.
“I wanted to be in law enforcement since I was a little kid,” she says. So after trying her hand a a few other things, she is ready to reach that goal. A part-time officer with NPD, Douglas is currently undergoing field training under the tutelage of K-9 Officer John Lewis.
Douglas says as cliche as it sounds, she really has always wanted to help people. In addition to that, “I realize a lot of people have a negative view of law enforcement. Many [in law enforcement] take the tough stance [in dealing with the public] but that’s not my go to. I tend to look at things more compassionately.”
Douglas hopes her outlook will enable her to really the help people she deals with.
Her field training consists of “whatever pops up on the screen.” In other words, when a call comes in, she responds. Between calls, she focuses on traffic.
Douglas has taken the requisite Phase I and II training that allows her to work part-time. She has also had training in “Group Crisis Intervention.” She is hoping to train in Domestic Violence and Mental Heath response in order to help those in crisis.
Her goal, though, is to become a School Resource Officer (SRO) because she “absolutely loves little children.” First, however, she will finish her field training and she hopes to be hired to fill the full-time vacancy at NPD.
So far, she says, her most rewarding experience has been helping someone as a police officer, in a situation that had nothing to do with law enforcement.
“I really am enjoying getting to know [her colleagues] and Chief Campbell.
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