Hi there! My name is Danelle Barrera, and I have been working for the Meridian Police Department since February of 2017. Prior to working for the Meridian Police Department, I worked for the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department from January of 2014, where I worked in the jail and patrol for the Lakewood Station. 

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Prior to beginning my law enforcement career, I attended the University of California, Davis where I obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology and played water polo. I started my college career at UC Davis pursuing a degree in Animal Biology, with the intent of becoming a Veterinarian. Halfway through my schooling, I realized it was not the career path for me as Chemistry and I did not get along. At the time of making the degree change to Sociology, I was working a security type job and decided it was time to follow my true passion of becoming a police officer. 

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I have been involved with law enforcement for my whole life due to my father and uncles being police officers. I have always admired what they did for their careers and even went on many ride-alongs with them as a child. I know these experiences as a child made me want to become a police officer. 

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In January of 2014, I began my law enforcement career with the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department and started the academy. The academy was hard, daunting, exhausting, and fun. I met some great human beings there, and I learned so much about myself and my passion for law enforcement.  Upon graduating from the academy, I was assigned to the Inmate Reception Center (jail), where I quickly learned I wanted to be outside working with the citizens. I transitioned to patrol and was assigned to the Lakewood Sheriff Station, where I met a training officer who would change my life forever. She taught me, that as a female police officer, we do not have to be hard and mean to people simply due to our size or stature. This woman stands about 5 feet tall and is one of the most hard-working, dedicated, and amazing police officers I have ever met. I told myself after meeting her, I would be as good as a police officer as her. To this day, I still talk to her and she is still working hard and making a difference. I hope to continue to make a difference in people's lives like she does.

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With all the experience I have now, any time I meet a brand-new officer I tell them to give it their all, have faith in themselves, and never give up - even on the really bad days. This job can be difficult, exhausting, scary - yes scary - and challenging; but most of all, it can be rewarding. Those rewarding moments and days are what I live for as an officer, and I take pride in being able to go home and say I definitely made a difference today. Every time I meet someone new, I try to make it a positive experience - even in the good, bad, or ugly situations. I hope when I leave they will remember Officer Barrera as a nice, respectful, and caring police officer who just wanted to make their day a little bit better. When I made the decision to come work for the Meridian Police Department, I not only chose it because they made me feel like a family member, but because they made me feel so welcome. At the Meridian Police Department, I have a feeling of family and security, as I know my partners have my back and my family can rely on them to get me home at the end of the night.

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I hope whenever anyone meets a Meridian Police Officer, they realize we are human, we have hearts, and we always intend to do the right thing. The Meridian Police Department has given me the opportunity to grow as both a person and a police officer, and has made me better at both of these.  In 2023 I was promoted to Sergeant and started supervising a patrol team.  I cannot wait to see how the Meridian Police Department will continue to evolve over the years.