Alana Forrest is a Captain at the Los Gatos/Monte Sereno Police Department. She has worked in the field of law enforcement and criminal justice for 27 years.
How did you first become interested in this field?
My uncle was a police officer.
What type of training best prepared you for your work as police captain?
I earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice and I am a lifelong athlete.
What is an average day at work like for you?
My days involve a lot of meetings, collaborations with non-profits and community based organizations, discussions about criminal investigations, budget review and preparation, emergency management oversight, and responding to a lot of emails and phone calls.
What do you like most about your job?
I like that every day at work is different. I also enjoy interacting with people from all walks of life and experiences.
What advice do you have for those who are interested in working in this field?
Get a good education and be smart about your choices of friends and how you show up in the world. Even as a young person in HS or college, the choices you make can affect your ability to get into law enforcement.
Always listen to both sides of the story in any situation because you don’t want to overreact to one side, only to learn that wasn’t quite how it all happened.
Build your relationships and don’t burn any bridges. You never know where people will show back up in your life!
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