‘If You Have A Calling, You’ve Got To Go For It’: Retired Police Sergeant Honored For Women’s History Month

DENVER (CBS4)– In recognition of Women’s History Month the Denver Police Museum is honoring one of their retired police sergeants for her decades of service. On Thursday, dozens of friends, family and former colleagues packed into a room at the District 3 headquarters where Margaret Chavez once worked.

“I always feel better if I’m the bridesmaid you know what I’m saying,” Chavez laughed.

The retired police sergeant isn’t fond of the attention, but ask anyone who knows her and they’ll say she is certainly deserving of the recognition.

“I can tell you most certainly she made a positive impact on me,” and truly do believe that she made a positive difference to the citizens in the communities she served as part of women’s history month,” one current female officer told the crowd.

As the honoree, she received a flag flown over the state Capitol and city council. Chavez also accepted a proclamation from Denver City Council as a female pioneer in the police force.

“It’s humbling… it really is,” she said.

Chavez who worked for years in the private sector, married and raised a family all before she decided to follow her dream of becoming an officer.

“I was the oldest person in the academy class when I got there,” she said, “and a woman, so I had to be able to stay up with everybody.”

She carried that determination and commitment with her on the job whether on patrol, working with students, or in her leadership role.

She says for anyone thinking it’s too late to chase your dreams, it’s not.

“If you have a calling and it’s something that you want to do, you’ve got to try it, you’ve got to go for it,” Chavez said.