Meet Stephanie Norton: A Generational Officer of the Law

 Becoming an officer of the law is both challenging and exciting. The day you are sworn in you get two things: a sense of pride and a feeling of accomplishment. On that day, you become a part of something greater. It is your duty to protect civilians and charge towards danger almost on-a-daily-basis, while keeping a cool, level head and being able to act quickly under pressure. This job is not meant for everyone but for the brave men and women who do it shows there is something special about them. One such person is Stephanie Norton.
Stephanie Norton, a five-year veteran with the California Highway Patrol was born and raised in the Central Valley of California. With a long list of family members in law enforcement, Father; California Highway Patrol Assistant Chief, Uncle; retired Sergeant with Placerville, and Brother; Officer with Hanford Police Department. There was no doubt in her mind what she would do when she grew up. After graduating from CSU Fresno, Stephanie got a job at Corcoran State Prison, and once she was of age to apply for the CHP, she jumped at the opportunity. Stephanie was accepted into the California Highway Patrol Academy in September of 2013. Upon graduation, Stephanie was transferred to the Altadena office and moved her residence to the beautiful Santa Clarita Valley area. In her five years, Stephanie has already distinguished herself as a hard working officer. She has received multiple MADD awards (Mothers Against Drunk Driving), she is also a Drug Recognition Expert, and a Field Training officer.
As CHP officers, we patrol the state freeways and unincorporated county roadways, as well as all state-owned facilities and property. We are a very diverse agency in that we perform many different duties ranging from patrolling the streets to protecting the Governor. Some of our special assignments include, but are not limited to, drug interdiction, auto theft, accident investigation, DUI enforcement, K-9 units, Air Operations, and motorcycle patrol, to mention a few.
Our society has come a long way in its thinking. Now more than ever, our female law enforcement officers are respected by their peers as well as the public for their positive attitudes and calming effect they have on potentially volatile situations. In the law enforcement community, we have come to realize that strength is not necessarily the most important attribute when dealing with potentially violent situations, but a mixture of tact, courage and cleverly working under pressure makes us effective in the field today.
In the CHP, women have been working side-by-side with their male counterparts for 44 years. During this time, women have become an integral part of every aspect of the CHP, from patrolling the freeways as an officer, protecting the Governor, to commanding operations involving hundreds of subordinates and multi-million dollar budgets.
For more information about the California Highway Patrol, or to apply visit www.chp.ca.gov/home.

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