Johnston Now Honors: Distinguished Police Officer honoree brings passion for community to Selma

By Randy Capps

Tomeka Moore grew up in Kenly and graduated from North Johnston High School. She took a job just down U.S. 301 in Selma, and 17 years later, she’s still on the force at the Selma Police Department.

That longevity and service has earned her the 2024 Johnston Now Honors Distinguished Police Officer Award.

It’s an unusual career path, but one that has served her well.

“They're very supportive,” she said of the Town of Selma. “The chief, he lets me run with whatever idea I have, so yeah, they're very supportive. Usually the chief and the major are the two that I go to with ideas, and I've never been turned down.”

After starting in patrol and then working in code enforcement, Moore is currently a support specialist. She’s also tasked with community police relations efforts in the town, and that’s been an enjoyable part of the job for her.

“I've actually been in the community for a while now, but actually just started being the community policing officer,” she said. “So I actually love working with kids. You know, Selma has its low poverty area and there's a lot of kids that don't have much and, some kids, you don't really know what they go home to. So it's always good for me to try to make them feel good when I can. And to let them know that police are good, you know, because a lot of them are taught, I guess … to not like the police. So it's always good to reiterate the positive (aspects) of police officers with kids, because that's where it starts. So I love doing that.”

Fighting the negative stereotypes associated with police officers is something Moore takes very seriously.

“Usually police deal with people in negative (situations) all the time and kids see that,” she said. “And not just kids, adolescents, you know, they all see that. We have to break that barrier of the police. All police aren't bad. You know, that's what I would like to do. That's my goal. I'm not superwoman, but, you know, you’ve got to try to impact the people that you encounter.”

She offers a unique perspective for those seeking advice on entering law enforcement, but she doesn’t sugarcoat the fact that sacrifices are necessary to succeed.

“It's not for everyone,” she said. That's the first thing. You’ve got to be really passionate about the job. … You're going to have good days. You're going to have bad days, and you're going to have long hours. And, you know, if you have a family, those long hours play a part. You miss out on a lot. 

“My advice would be it's got to be in your heart. And, if it's something that you really want to do, you have to stick to it.”

Family matters to Moore, as she had her first son while she was still in high school. Twenty-three years later, she gave birth to her second son.

“I'm a kid, so I don't know how to parent a kid,” she said of her first child. “I'm a kid myself. It took 23 years to have another kid, and here I am. And it's the best thing that's ever happened.”

Thank you to OPW Retail Fueling for sponsoring this award.