MU police department sergeant, a breast cancer survivor, seeks to fulfill dream of becoming lawyer - Columbia Daily Tribune
Jennifer Perry remembers learning about the judicial branch of the U.S. government in fifth grade.
One particular lesson focused on Sandra Day O'Connor, the first woman nominated and confirmed to the Supreme Court.
This lesson was so impactful that it set Perry onto a career path connected to the law from that day. She even signed her progress report at that time from Cedar Hill Elementary School in Jefferson City as Judge Jennifer Perry.
Perry is finally realizing her dream of becoming a lawyer, and May will mark her 20th anniversary working at the University of Missouri Police Department.
While Perry's ultimate goal always was to attend law school, circumstance and even clerical errors got in the way.
On the waiting list
As an undergrad at the University of Missouri, Perry started out studying history.
Realizing that wasn't her niche, she transitioned to psychology; her mother, Jane, had previous counseling experience. The end goal was still to attend law school after earning her bachelor's degree.
A clerical snafu put Perry on a different career trajectory.
"Back then it was Law School Data Assembly Service. You had to go through that to sign up for the (Law School Admission Test)," Perry said. "You pay their fee and they take test scores, letters of recommendation, transcripts and put in a package to send to schools you apply to."
There was just one school in mind for Perry: the MU School of Law.
She filled in the bubble sheet, wrote in MU and sent it off.
She then waited ... and waited ... and waited.
Finally, she called the university and asked why she had not heard back. Her transcripts were not in the application packet and her information was listed as going to Tabor College in Kansas, she found out. Tabor College has undergrad programs in criminal justice and history and political science, but not a graduate program for law.
All this led to a submission delay to MU, so Perry was put on the law school waiting list. Since there were limited opportunities for employment in the psychology field with only a bachelor's degree, Perry pursued a graduate degree elsewhere.
"I went to Columbia College for criminal justice, and after getting loans and books and such, I get a call from Mizzou that my name came up from the waitlist," Perry said.
By this point in 1999, she already was committed to Columbia College.
Reversal of roles
Perry did not start as an officer with MUPD right away after receiving her master's in criminal justice administration. Instead, Perry worked for the Missouri Department of Corrections with probation and parole.
She served in jails and prepared reports for offenders that were used in their reviews.
"I had met a couple people who had gone from law enforcement to probation and parole, and I thought about going the other way," Perry said.
During her time with probation and parole, she was courted by MUPD.
When Perry was an undergrad at MU, she did work-study as a member of the event staff at the Hearnes Center. She got to know MUPD staff who were there for security. Even during her time with probation and parole, she continued to work as event staff.
"I already knew several people who were in the police department from grad school," Perry said.
This includes Maj. Scott Richardson, MUPD assistant chief.
When Perry accepted the probation and parole position, she also was in the hiring process with MUPD, but probation and parole was able to bring her on sooner.
"Richardson suggested I go for MUPD again," Perry said. "They hired me and paid for my academy. I started here in 2002."
From law enforcement to law interpretation
Two decades later, Perry has finally begun classes for a law degree from MU.
She started with civil procedure last semester and has moved on to criminal procedure this semester.
The first time Perry sat for the LSAT, she was in a large lecture hall of at least 150 people. This time around, she took the test from her laptop on a Sunday in the MUPD conference room. She received the same score both times.
Law school applicants typically should aim for a score of 150, according to U.S. News and World Report, and Perry said she received a 155.
There are differences in how criminal justice and law degrees are applied, Perry noted. Criminal justice studies theories, while the law looks at doctrines, she said.
"How the law works and the backbone of it," she said about her law degree pursuit.
Perry is still looking to find her niche. She knows that she wants to explore possible career fields outside of criminal defense or prosecution.
"I am kind of interested in family law or real estate and property law," Perry said. "I'm not sure. I just need to take a lot more classes to know what I like or don't. There are so many choices."
Other orientation clinics also have piqued her interest, such as the veterans' clinic or the Innocence Project clinic.
The veterans' clinic focuses on getting veterans their benefits, while the Innocence Project is about reversing wrongful convictions.
"I know our criminal justice system is inherently flawed because it is run by people and we are going to screw stuff up," Perry said. "I would hate to have anybody incarcerated or put to death because the system messed up.
"Making sure we did it right and getting the right person in prison speaks to me."
Balancing act and family support
Three years into Perry's tenure with MUPD, she was diagnosed with breast cancer at 27. She had recently battled a cold and noticed an enlarged lymph node. The cold went away, but the enlarged node did not.
The diagnosis came back as stage 3A breast cancer.
The diagnosis was announced to her coworkers at the police department during an annual all-hands meeting.
At that time, she had her mom, her four best friends and her work support system to aid her while she went through treatments, she said.
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"People at work were great. They tried to figure out how to donate sick leave and raise money," Perry said, noting the university's insurance plan and her ability to work a modified shift meant she did not lose a lot of sick leave.
While the cancer treatment took the wind out of Perry's sails, she fought through 10 rounds of chemotherapy and 30 rounds of radiation.
"I'm stubborn. Nothing keeps me down. I may wallow in self-pity for a few minutes, but I pull myself up," she said.
Perry's support system has grown in the past few years. She has a 6-year-old son, Atticus, and married Anthony Keith when Atticus was 2.
Her responsibilities as an officer, student and mom present a balancing act.
"It's a juggling act, for sure," Perry said. "My mom lives with us and she helps shuttle the little guy to and from activities."
Perry normally is sergeant of the evening shift of 2 p.m. to midnight and attends classes during the day. A recent injury from slipping on some ice has changed up her work schedule to some day-shift responsibilities.
She finds time to study in the mornings after she wakes up, at night when everyone else is in bed and on her days off.
A 2025 graduate
Perry expects she will graduate from law school by 2025 at the latest.
Graduation by the end of the 2024 spring semester largely would depend upon what summer classes are available, Perry said.
While Perry is older than many of her peers, she is not the only one, she said.
"We kind of run the gamut," she said. "Some are fresh out of undergrad, some have worked in the field for a few years. I think I bring a little bit of a different perspective because of my 20 years of professional experience."
source: https://www.columbiatribune.com/story/news/local/2022/03/14/breast-cancer-surviving-mu-police-department-sergeant-seeks-law-degree/9438017002/
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