YOU NEVER HAVE THE SAME DAY TWICE. CHIEF BERNOT Westtown East Goshen Police Department Nothing is set in stone, as Brenda Bernot learned from her brief time as a Penn State journalism major 32 years ago. The longer she stayed in the major, the more she realized it wasn’t the career path she was destined to follow. Now as the Chief of Police at Westtown East Goshen Police Department, she knows she’s exactly where she was always meant to be. “One day, I was getting a ride up from my hometown in Hummelstown, PA to Penn State and one of the individuals in the car was talking about how she was in the criminal justice program. She talked about how it not only challenged her because there were so many different skills that were required, but she felt like it had meaning,” Chief Bernot recalled. “That’s what I was looking for: something that would challenge me in a lot of different ways and at the same time have meaning.” Chief Bernot has always needed meaning to drive her. She spent 28 years with the state police, retired, and became a college professor teaching criminal science. However, she hated it because it didn’t fill her with a sense of purpose. Her husband told her she was miserable since she retired and to go back to what she loved. So that’s exactly what she did. “The one thing I love about the Westtown East Goshen Police Department is how they do community-based policing better than just about anybody I’ve ever met,” Chief Bernot stated. Chief Bernot loves being out in the community and being able to engage West Chester residents. To her, community-based policing is what law enforcement is all about. “People feel comfortable enough to call me up and say, ‘Hey, Brenda!’” Chief Bernot stated. “It isn’t just a position. We talk about family. I love it. You have to understand what community-based policing means. It builds trust.” Chief Bernot often laments the lack of women in law enforcement. She
stated that the numbers have always been traditionally low for no foreseeable reason, despite women making up more than half of the general population. It’s a shame to her because she feels that most women are very good communicators, and she feels the dynamic nature would suit is ideal for anyone with the right personality, regardless of gender. “You never have the same day twice,” Chief Bernot expressed. “It’s an ideal position for someone who doesn’t want to be confined at a desk. It does challenge you.” If there was one thing Chief Bernot is most proud of during her entire career in law enforcement, it would be the accreditation of the police department. Accreditation is given when a police depart-
ment is “operating to the goal standard of law enforcement.” A crucial part of the accreditation involves increasing the overall amount of community outreach and community-based policing by compelling a department to interact more often with its citizens and implement a standardized policy on how it handles complaints and investigations. It’s a vital departamental accomplishment. It “shows the public that, not only are we professional, but we’re trying to do something that benefits you,” Chief Bernot explained. “Being a police officer means you live your entire life—on and off duty—under a microscope. If you’re not willing to do that, then don’t become a police officer.”
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