Racquel Palmer: A ‘Force’ to be reckoned with
Published:Sunday | May 1, 2022 | 12:06 AMKrysta Anderson - Staff Reporter
Dr Racquel Palmer always understood what it meant ‘to serve and protect’, giving back to the community through her family business and protecting her mother while she bravely fought cancer. But her enrolment in the Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF) gave her a whole new perspective.
Inspired by that life-changing experience, Palmer took a leap of faith and she is now a member of the New York City Police Department (NYPD); a notary public for the State of New York; a New York State certified security guard licence instructor, and an NYPD peer support counsellor. She also holds a Doctor of Philosophy degree in criminal justice and is an immigration consultant, as well as a certified wedding officiant in the state of New York.
Hailing from a quaint community called Breastworks in Portland, Palmer is grateful for her humble-but-fundamental beginnings. Being the child of an entrepreneur saw her striking a smooth balance between school and home life. While she helped out with TearUp Shop, her parents, her mother specifically, ensured that she was focused on school.
“Mommy was very big on education and always said she didn’t get a chance to complete her studies at Portland High School but I will. All my teachers in school knew her because no Parent-Teachers Association meeting missed her. So this was where I got my motivation from regarding education and entrepreneurship,” the former Titchfield High School student told The Sunday Gleaner.
When it came time to choose a career path, she took an unlikely turn: the JCF. But it was a roller-coaster ride from the very start. Excited to embark on the new leg of the journey, her spirits were crushed after staring down the barrel of rejection.
“The day I went to the Area Two headquarters to sit the test, I literally was turned back by a female sergeant who was overseeing the test, for being too short. I’m five feet four inches. To this day, I still think about it and, if there is one thing I could change with the JCF is their hiring requirements, specifically the weight and height discrimination aspect of it,” she said candidly.
There was no hiding her disappointment while she walked out, but an inspector of police saw the combination of her facial expression and body language and decided to intervene. Upon learning what had previously transpired, he queried her qualifications.
“He asked what my qualifications were and I told him seven CXCs, and he told me to go back and tell the sergeant that he is waiving the height requirement based on my qualifications,” she added.
Since then, the journey has been smooth sailing. Two and a half years into the force, a determined Palmer worked her way up to the rank of detective; a feat that was easily attained because of her conduct and work ethic. “I chose a path that many people were afraid of; forensic crime scene investigator. That entails dealing with dead bodies daily, which a lot of people are not fascinated about. But, in all honesty, those are my best years in law enforcement thus far. The dead don’t talk back or give any problem at all,” she shared.
And, when asked if she had any bouts with gender discrimination, she declared that she wasn’t faced with that inequality. If anything, the very opposite occurred. The police department taught her that there is no gender as far as the job is concerned: anything men can do, so can the women.
“I must applaud the JCF and their training curriculum. Contrary to what others may think, the JCF has one of the best training modules, and it took me years to realise this,” she said, adding, “I excelled in all my other law enforcement training, especially firearms, just because of the rigorous training the force provided.”
Eight years in, life threw her the biggest curve ball. In early 2013, Palmer’s mom was diagnosed with Stage Three breast cancer. After depleting her savings for treatment, the dedicated daughter decided to explore her financial options overseas.
She migrated to the United States after resigning from her job and closing down the clothing store she owned and operated. Once there, she applied for a Master of Science Degree programme with the University of Phoenix and sat the New York City Police Department entrance exam.
While waiting to hear a word from her pursuits, catastrophe struck back home. Her mother had lost the battle, passing away in her absence. So torn was she by the sad news that she got lost on her way home from work. “My entire world collapsed. I no longer had anyone to give me their harsh-but-honest opinions. I no longer had my lawyer. I no longer had my fighter,” she lamented.
Her mother’s favourite quote, ‘No matter what, life has to go on’,’was the very words that helped her to pull through the most devastating moments of her life. She contemplated pushing back her acceptance into university but decided the time was right. She enrolled full-time in school, and also worked full-time as a case manager with AABR Incorporated. Then she went on to teach mathematical subjects for the New York City Department of Education.
“In 2016, I was finally called by the NYPD for training. I was also accepted into a PhD programme at Walden University. Again, I had to make a tough decision as the NYPD does not allow recruits to attend school or work whilst training, as their syllabus is very tough and time-consuming. But, knowing the fighter, I decided to do both,” she revealed. Balancing the books, she didn’t want to raise any red flags with the NYPD, so she maintained her focus, graduating from training with a 90 per cent average and winning a gold bar for scoring full points during firearm qualifications. “Thanks to the Jamaica Constabulary Force for their intense firearm training,” she added.
While in the city, Palmer realised the importance of immigration, particularly to Jamaicans, so she jumped into that field, and also became an immigration consultant. Inspired by her son’s love for food, she opened a restaurant, which her fiancé manages. She is now looking forward to the release of her book, Networthing, available on Amazon on May 13. “The legacy I hope to leave behind is one that makes life a little easier for my children and grandchildren. In the near future, I hope to complete my law degree and open a Caribbean-based grocery store.”