As a sixth-grader attending an integrated school for the first time, Val Demings wore an orange badge signifying her position on “school patrol,” which was responsible for helping students cross the street. It was her first taste of authority and rule enforcement.
Ms. Demings went on to serve as a police officer for 27 years, capping her career in law enforcement as the first black woman to lead the Orlando Police Department before being elected a Florida congresswoman.
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