This week: behind the badge kelsey gembala

Officer Kelsey Gembala, Lawrence Police Department (formerly Beech Grove Police Department)

Kelsey Gembala, a new Officer for the Lawrence Police Department is a fan favorite among “On Patrol LIVE” viewers. Gembala, was featured on “On Patrol LIVE” as she was with Beech Grove Police Department. Kelsey could be the first officer in “Live PD” and “On Patrol LIVE” history featured working for more than one agency during her tenure on the show. How could this happen? Well a lot of mutual interest between the show and Lawrence Police Department could put Kelsey in a spotlight again on the show, with a different agency. I had the pleasure of sitting down with Kelsey and having her be our second “This Week: Behind The Badge” featured officer. Here is our interview:

*bold is me, plain is Kelsey Gembala*

Thanks for doing this interview!

It is awesome to be asked to do it! Thank you.

What agency are you currently with for people who don’t know and how long have you been with them?

Well, I have been employed with my current department (Lawrence Police Department) for just about a month now. Since I think policy technically says employees are not supposed to volunteer this information without prior permission from department administration, I am going to decline to actually state the name here. Suffice it to say, it has been an awesome agency and I am so happy I decided to take this new opportunity and challenge to change my career path. I cannot wait to see what comes next!

Have you ever been with an agency other than your current agency or Beech Grove?

I started my career in 2013 with the Rockford Police Department in Illinois. I most recently worked with Beech Grove Police Department in Indiana. I also have worked as a 911 dispatcher, animal control officer, and have been an advocate for domestic violence and sexual assault for non profit organizations. Having this diverse work experience has provided me with valuable insight, knowledge, and training that I use in my position today.

Why did you become a law enforcement officer?

Wow, I feel like this could be a long interview as to what drew me to this career. Cliff notes version would be I always wanted to be apart of something bigger, to make a positive difference in my community, and to help and serve others. I am also someone who is extremely motivated to challenge and to improve myself on a daily basis and to work in a dynamic and diverse environment. Lastly, the sense of both working by myself as well as apart of a larger teams, and the camaraderie and interactions that go along with that is and was something that appealed and still appeals to me. I have found that policing contains all of these unique attributes and simply put, there is no other profession like it.

Was law enforcement your first career choice?

I think I told my family when I was like six, I was going to be a famous author who was also a veterinarian and pro-basketball player. Since that didn’t exactly work out, I initially went to college declaring a pre-law major. I found out very quickly that was not for me, so I changed majors and schools and here we are today.

What TV shows do you like?

It really depends on the day. My streaming playlists have everything from surviva reality, to cooking and design fashion, to comedy, drama, documentary, fantasy, and sci-fi shows. Well, and of course, a certain police reality show. I have an electric taste I guess.

What movies do you like?

Like my TV taste, it really just depends on what I am feeling that day. I did just finish watching “Red Notice” and thought that was really good.

What do you like to do for fun?

At the moment, when I am not at work or working on a part time basis, we have been trying to complete some major home renovation projects. That can definitely be fun, but also super frustrating at times. Aside from all that, I enjoy being outside, hiking, boating, or even just relaxing while watching the sun set and the dogs play. I also enjoy working out, reading a good book, and doing just about anything with my partner.

Where is your dream vacation spot?

Travel was something that was never part of my life growing up, so I think that, combined with my strong desire to try new things, has contributed to my immense passion to do it more now. However, If I had to pick a favorite vacation spot that I would like to go on vacation to it would definitely be something that involves clear blue waters, warm and sunny weather, and not too many other people around.

What is the hardest part of the job for you?

A law enforcement career provides a unique ability to see people both at their best and their worst. The latter is tough and I have seen some truly horrendous things. Equally difficult, though, can be the situations in which there is simply nothing I can do to help. Either type of incident leaves me with a truly helpless feeling that I do not enjoy.

How do you balance what you see and deal with at work to when you come home?

I spend a lot of time talking to my partner about it all. As he is also in law enforcement, so it is therapeutic for us both. I also try to give myself healthy outlets, like working out and spending time doing other things I enjoy. I learned early in my career that it is way too easy to allow this profession to take over your entire life, so it is important to remember and participate in things one enjoys outside of the job.

What advice would you give for someone who is interested in a career in law enforcement?

Like any major life choice, take every opportunity you can to learn about it before deciding to embark on this journey. Law enforcement is not just a job or a profession, it is a lifestyle and it affects not just your life, but your family and friends as well. How many other people get introduced by their friends as “This is my friend Kelsey. She is a cop”. I have found working in law enforcement to be extremely fulfilling and I could not imagine doing anything else, but there are definitely a lot of things to consider before making this choice.

What is your most memorable case or call that you have worked on?

Quite a lot of incidents come to mind, honestly. As a police officer, I have dealt with situations that have been horrendous, terrifying, hilarious, mundane, and everything in between. Everything from active shooters to naked individuals running down the street in the middle of Winter to neighbors arguing over the length of their grass. Maybe I should reconsider the author career path, because I have a lot of content for a couple of volumes.

Do you like the cameras being around you?

The show provides officer and departments with the opportunity to relate with and educate the public about the job in a really awesome way. However, it also opens them up for intense scrutiny and that can be difficult to handle. Additionally, I have never been someone who sought out or really enjoyed being in the spotlight. So yes, looking around the car and seeing all of the cameras and other equipment was very intimidating at first. However, all it took for me to stop focusing on it was to get to that first call. Regardless of whether the cameras are there or not, I do my job the same.

Which fellow officer at Lawrence Police Department do you work with the most?

Right now, I am in field training and have another officer in my car the entire shift. So we definitely spend quite a bit of time together. (via social media she has alluded to this being Stuart Bishop, a “Live PD” fan favorite).

If you could work at any other agency that has been featured on “On Patrol LIVE” which would it be and why?

Working at any of them would be interesting. Though we all carry the same title of a law enforcement officer, it is truly amazing how much working at a different agency changes how the job is done. If I had to choose one, I would go work with my girls in Berkeley County. I bet we would have a lot of fun!

If you could choose any law enforcement agency and any unit to be apart of in this world, which agency and unit would you choose?

It took me nearly a decade to gain knowledge and experience in this profession as well as a lot of introspection to decide which path I wanted my career to take. However, I am finally happy exactly where I am. I am surrounded by people who are dedicated, not only to their own excellence, professionalism, and community service, but also in helping me to further develop my own as well. Eventually, I would enjoy working in other areas other than patrol as well as taking a leadership role, but I truly am blessed to have found my calling.

Last week we interviewed Eric Murphy and I asked him for a question to ask you. He wanted to know “I would like to know what Kelsey likes most about this job.”

It is a job that can definitely be challenging at times, but like I have tried to briefly portray above, there is nothing else like it!

Thanks for doing this interview Kelsey! My next interview is with Berkeley County Sheriff’s Office Deputy Dylan Lee who has been featured on the show as well. What is something you would like to learn about him?

I challenge Dylan to answer if he could have the power to morph into any wild animal, what animal would it be and why, when and how would he use his power? This interview was fun! I liked this idea to ask the next featured officer a question and I tried to pick something sort of different.