Small Beginnings Big Endings

Story by: Virginia Grant

Paristamika “Paris” Valencia Owens is the first black woman to serve as Captain of the Gainesville Police Department (GPD). On December 3, 2019 in a ceremony at GPD headquarters, hundreds of family members, friends, colleagues, and community leaders gathered to celebrate this moment in history. Actually, in this case - HERstory. In the weeks to follow social media was ablazed with photos, posts, and congratulations for the new captain. Remarks described Paris as consistent, fair, selfless, determined, committed, wonderful, loving, deserving, patient, stellar, forward moving, and progressive. -the posts boasting with compliments from childhood friends to leaders in the community went on for weeks. The consistent congratulatory note to Paris was, “You earned it!”. Overwhelmingly, it appeared that those who love, know, and respect Captain Owens believe that her hard work, tenacity, and dedication led her to this moment.

Paris was raised by her mother and father in East Gainesville. Her immediate family included her three aunts, two sisters, and a younger brother. In this blended and loving family she learned responsibility, compromise, and the value of hopes and dreams. She describes her mother as being independent and demanding respect.

“She didn’t play with us,” recalls Paris. But she also fondly remembers her mother’s softer side, her desire to please and make others happy. As children do, Owens observed her mother in action and appreciates the value of service that she picked up from her, it’s a key trait that she believes has propelled her to success.

The gift of serving others is critical

for the role in policing the community but it naturally bleeds into the captain’s personal life as well. Hearkening qualities from her mother, Owens says, “I love to cook, because I love to make people happy. I love bringing a bowl of chili to someone and seeing their faces light up Paris learned to cook as a child, and even though she was raised in a two-parent home, both parents

Sometimes you choose your career, but sometimes it chooses you. “ “

homework, and starting dinner. She also loves to bake and owns a small business called “Kreationz from Paris”. As a child, Paris learned the importance of “Community Policing”. She recalls that East Gainesville had a lot of drug activity when she was young. Her father, Danny Grant,didn’t tolerate it, he was visual, vocal, and vigilant in the community and would not allow the criminal activity to occur in front of his house. He was often the one to call the police to report suspicious activity. Mr. Grant, does not feel that his activism

influenced or led to his daughter’s decision to become a police officer, but he does feel that it influenced her style of policing. He recalls, “She was always with me, I taught her to treat people with respect.” Grant was tough on crime, but believes that everyone deserves to be treated with dignity and respect. He was the first example Paris had of leading with compassion and humility. Paris attributes her work ethic to her parents’ teachings and expectations. She began working as a teenager and remembers shortly after high school, balancing college courses at the University of Florida, working full-time at the Sheriff’s Department and parttime at Publix. During this time GPD was providing security for the local Publix stores and would often attempt to recruit promising leaders. She wasn’t interested, she doesn’t recall why, but does remember that after a few months of working two jobs and going to school, that she wanted more for herself. she told someone at the Sheriff’s department that she was interested in becoming a sheriff. She did not get the

response and encouragement she hoped for and instead was discouraged from pursuing such a goal.

After being laughed at, she naturally felt some self doubt but fortunately for Paris, the GPD officers patrolling Publix continued to push and recruit her. She left her undergraduate studies to pursue a career in law enforcement, enrolling in the Police Academy and subsequently being sworn in as a GPD officer in July 1994. Her first assignment was in Patrol Operations. Paris continued as an officer until 2000, when she left to return to school full-time. She earned a degree in Health Science Education and as she considered applying for grad school, GPD was heavily recruiting and looking for talented officers. She received a call from a female officer and couldn’t say no to the opportunity of joining the law enforcement industry again. So in 2002, she returned to the police force to serve. Paris readily admits that being a police captain wasn’t her dream job. “Sometimes you choose your career, but sometimes it chooses you,” she expresses. In her case, she shares that

the officers and leaders that she served under had a great impact on her career path. She remembers constantly being encouraged by others. “She pushed me,” Paris recalls as she speaks of retired Lieutenant, Alena Lawson. Lawson served as the first African-American female Lieutenant for GPD. “She challenged me to think more globally, and to not limit myself.”

As Paris assumes her role as the first

African-American Captain for GPD, she admits to feeling indebted to her team of officers. She remembers the challenges she has faced as a woman in a male dominated field and more specifically as a black woman in a white male dominated field. She’s clearthat it is her responsibility to mentor, encourage, and inspire the 300 plus officers that serve the Gainesville community. “I must be vocal and an advocate. It is my job to

keep their hopes and dreams alive.” She vows to do this by being fair, providing an open door policy, supporting effective communication, and encouraging officers to take advantage of training and continued education.

While protecting the hopes and dreams of others, Paris shares that she has some dreams that she would like to pursue as well. “I would like to open a small bakery that carries baked goods, a variety of treats and baking supplies.” Her love for cooking is something that she shares with her mother and has passed on to her daughter, Kalyn Renae. Kayln is a graduate student at Florida A&M University, pursuing a graduate degree in Social Work. She is very close to her mother, admires her success, and values the sacrifices she has made as a single parent. “My mom works very hard, she’s a great person and an amazing parent. She supports and encourages me in everything that I do and I want to do the same for her. I want her to enjoy this moment.”

This moment could have been derailed many times. Captain Owens had many opportunities to stop growing, stop moving, stop learning. She had many reasons to say no, to say I’ve had enough, to say I quit. She’s faced challenges both professionally and personally. She’s experienced hardships on the job and off the clock. But there was a little voice in her that kept saying, “If I don’t do it, who’s going to do it?” She believes it’s this voice that will keep her moving, developing and achieving greater success.

And when that voice is quiet, she will have the voice of her many supporters pushing her on, including her sister, Tara, reaffirming, “This isn’t the end for Paris!”