It's Tuesday morning, and Lieutenant Cheryl Crumley, a Sullivan County sheriff’s deputy, is making the rounds in town.
Crumley is a local, raised in Forestburgh and a graduate of Monticello High School. But on this day, and every day after, she's also making history. Crumley is the first female lieutenant in the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department.
What You Need To Know
- Cheryl Crumley is the first female lieutenant in the history of the Sullivan County Sheriff's Department
- Crumley is a lifelong Sullivan County resident, growing up in Forestburgh and graduating from Monticello High School
- She's spent 19 years with the sheriff's department and is supervisor of the department's youth division
“I do every once in a while, when someone points it out," Crumley says when asked if she thinks about it. "But on a daily basis, I just work. I come to work, and I do what I’m supposed to do and I do my job. And I do it to the best of my ability.”
The promotion has been a dream come true for a person passionate about law enforcement.
“I’ve always been interested in police and law enforcement ... So I took the test. I did well. And then I took the physical test and I passed, and I made it on the list," Crumley said.
She’s been there ever since, rising through the ranks to become a corporal, sergeant, and now after 19 years, a lieutenant.
On this day, duties include a stop at the George Cooke Elementary School in Monticello, and a peek at the baby chickens one of her school resource officers brought to the classroom, to see if they’ve hatched. Every teacher and staff member she passed offered their congratulations, and the school's interim principal, Virginia Gallet, was especially warm, giving Crumley a big hug.
"I'm so happy for you!" Gallet told her.
In her new role, Lt. Crumley will manage patrols and supervise the sheriff's youth division. Crumley oversees the D.A.R.E. program and works with the sheriff's school resource officers across the county. She's a collaborator, and to those closest to her, an inspiration.
“I was at the gym yesterday after work, and I get a call from my daughter, who’s in middle school, and she says to me, ‘are you picking me up from softball practice or are you busy making history?’ ” Crumley joked.
Despite her status as a trailblazer, she says she's keeping things in perspective and that she'll work hard to be a role model for young women interested in law enforcement.
“You have to work harder because people may expect different things from you. But just have a good work ethic, show up and do your job and do it to the best of your ability," Crumley said.