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Meet Patricia Seffens

Police Patrol Sergeant 
17 years with the City of Santa Rosa

Meet Patricia “Patti” Seffens, a sergeant with the Santa Rosa Police Department. Patti supervises a team of police officers and civilian field employees who patrol the City of Santa Rosa each day. Patti is also one of the first to respond to and manage larger-scale or significant incidents when they occur. Growing up, Patti watched her father, a Sheriff’s Deputy at the time, and grew interested in the many different aspects of a career in law enforcement. After high school, Patti decided to blaze a new trail, and rather than pursuing a career in law enforcement, she opted to enter the corporate world. Within a few short years, Patti became bored with the private sector and began to gravitate back toward law enforcement. Patti then enlisted in the United States Army Reserves Military Police Corps. This move solidified Patti’s passion for a career in law enforcement and she entered the police academy in 2006. Patti enjoys her career as a police officer because nothing is routine and each day is different, regardless of the assignment. Specifically, Patti prefers working at the Santa Rosa Police Department (SRPD) because of its long history of engagement, interaction, and partnership with the community. Also, SRPD is a big enough agency to have a lot of opportunities for collateral assignments, detective positions, and promotions; but small enough to still feel like part of a family. Patti encourages more women to enter the field of public safety, and more specifically, law enforcement. Women bring different communication and interpersonal skills to the table, and operationally speaking, when you must deal with a variety of challenges, it is better to have a variety of skillsets to best address them. Patti’s advice to other aspiring female law enforcement officers? Don’t stop yourself from entering a field or profession just because it is traditionally “male-dominated” or there may be a belief that “men aren’t ready for women” in that industry. Don’t wait for change to happen – you can be that change! When Patti isn’t working, you can find her reading, knitting, and hiking. Patti is also working on her master’s degree in law enforcement and public safety leadership. Patti is on the Board of Directors for Senior Advocacy Services of Sonoma County and was previously a volunteer art teacher at a local elementary school.

This website was designed by the City of Santa Rosa.

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