Can a television
program influence someone’s career later in life? For Marena Geiser, a
Mansfield University police officer, a steady diet of “Law and Order” just
might have led her into her career in law enforcement.
Growing up on a dairy farm in Wellsboro, no one in Geiser’s family worked in law enforcement or was in the military.
“My inspiration in life
has always been my mom,” says Geiser. “There are not enough words to express
what she has done for me. She worked incredibly hard to give me the best life
she could. She taught me to be the kind, caring person that I am. Really all
the women in my life are kind women who always believed they could do anything
a man could do and made sure I knew it as well.”
Geiser, who has been on the
Mansfield University police force for a year and a half, became an officer in 2020
after graduating from the Mansfield Police Academy. The job is not without its
challenges.
“I am a smaller female, so I get
underestimated,” Geiser says. “All other obstacles come and go and I just learn
to work with what I have. This is my job, and I will always do what I believe
is right.”
Even though the Mansfield campus
community is small, there are still stresses to deal with each day.
“I have an amazing group of people
I work with who help me when needed,” says Geiser. “Along with a husband, Chad
Boyce, who is also an officer, he helps me talk out any difficulties I went
through on a shift. It is important for me to do my best with the knowledge I
have and to continue learning from my mistakes.”
What has been the most
rewarding aspect of working as a police officer?
“Interacting with the community is
so great,” Geiser says. “I love when little girls see me working as an officer.
There is not a lot of us, especially in this area so it makes me incredibly
happy and fulfilled when I see the look of joy on their faces of seeing a women
officer. I always wonder if I would have believed in myself sooner to do this
job had I seen a female officer growing up. I just hope I am showing them that
it is a possible career for them as well.”
Geiser hopes more women choose law
enforcement as a career choice.
“Every department I have
worked for has not treated me any different for being a woman. Having a female
officer is a positive for a department and most officers are aware of that.”
Through it all, Geiser
finds it great that she has impressed members of her family with her career
choice.
“My family is incredibly
proud of me. My uncles all think it is the coolest thing I have done yet. My
mother loves that I do what I do but I know it causes her a lot of worry.”