Women on the Team

More and more women are choosing to start careers in law enforcement today. A job that provides financial stability, great benefits, opportunities for advancement, and lifelong friendships can be hard to come by; at the Austin Police Department, we pride ourselves in offering all of these things. Women have served at every rank in this department and have even served on teams, such as SWAT, that have historically been comprised of male officers. In 2022, the Austin Police Department pledged our commitment to the 30x30 Initiative with the ultimate goal of increasing the number of females in our cadet classes to 30% by 2030. Want to know more about the women of APD? Read our success stories below.

Assistant Chief Angie Jones

Assistant Chief Angie Jones has been a dedicated member of the Austin Police Department since May 2002. She began her career working patrol in the Northeast Area Command. Her passion for learning led her to become an instructor at the Academy, where she mentored and trained the next generation of officers.

Detective Melony Bowman

My name is Melony Bowman. I was born here in Austin, Texas, grew up in the Austin area and graduated from Pflugerville High School. I am a wife to another APD officer and a mother to two young children.

I didn’t come to be a police officer for the reasons that some people do—it wasn’t because of a mentor, or a role model, or because I was following a legacy. It was because of my father. My biological father lived a hard life and I didn’t have him in my life the way a daughter needs or wants a father to be. I rarely saw him when I was growing up because he suffered from drug and alcohol addictions and had been arrested on multiple occasions. He eventually changed his ways, and I believe that his experiences with the police and the time he spent in jail is what brought about that transformation.

Officer Nettie Rogers

I’m Senior Police Officer Nettie Rogers. I grew up in Pharr, Texas—a small town close to the U.S./Mexico border.

I joined the Austin Police Department in 2007. Before joining APD I served in the Texas Army National Guard and Army Reserves for six years. Becoming a police officer was an easy transition for me because of my military background. However, it was also challenging because when I signed up for the academy I was a single parent. I had to quickly learn how to balance my life as a single working mother so that I could be successful at both things simultaneously. I had a lot of support from my family and I am so thankful for that.

Officer Amanda Santeford

My name is Amanda Santeford. I’m from right here in Austin, Texas, and I’ve been a police officer for 15 years.

I didn’t always want to be a police officer. In fact, I think many people thought I would end up on the other side! I grew up in Williamson County where you would have thought it was illegal to be a kid. I struggled with my weight, had a somewhat turbulent youth and, at times, an abusive home life. I found my sanctuary riding my horse; I wanted to grow up to ride and train horses for a living.

Officer Laurie Gomez

I am Laurie Gomez and I am from San Antonio, Texas. After graduating high school I left San Antonio for college and attended Northwestern State University in Natchitoches, Louisiana where I played softball. I graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Kinesiology and a teaching certification.