For Immediate Release

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Lifetime Achievement Award Presented to Police Chief Heather Coogan

Littleton Police Chief Heather A. Coogan has been awarded the Professional Lifetime Achievement Award by the Rocky Mountain Women in Law Enforcement Awards Committee during its recent annual conference in Blackhawk, Colorado.

The award is periodically awarded to a female law enforcement officer who reflects a career of dedicated service, accomplishments, and contributions to policing and women in policing, such as:

• Demonstrated service or commitments beyond job expectations which have significantly advanced the status of policing and/or women in policing;
• Demonstrated progressive leadership and provided personal ideals which have advanced the field of women in law enforcement;
• Provided inspiration and vision to promote evolution and ongoing dynamics of policing and/or women in policing.

Chief Coogan began her policing career in 1973 as a cadet with the Denver Police Department (DPD), becoming a police officer in 1976 at a time when few women were pursuing this line of work. During her 27 years with the DPD, she rose through the ranks as police officer, sergeant, lieutenant, division chief and was appointed deputy chief in 1999; at that time becoming the highest-ranking woman in the department’s history.

In 2002 Coogan was hired as the chief of police for the Auraria Campus Police where she oversaw law enforcement services provided to 37,000 students and 7,000 employees. She worked at Auraria until her selection in 2007 as chief of police for the Littleton Police Department, becoming the first female municipal police chief in Colorado.

She continues to make her mark in law enforcement by being involved in many professional organizations including: current president of the Metro Chiefs Association, vice chair of the POST Board, past second president of the National Association of Women Law Enforcement Executives, founder and chair of the South Area Chief’s Association, past president of the Colorado Association of Institutional Law Enforcement Directors, and currently serves on many other law enforcement related boards.

Chief Coogan speaks across the country on issues of law enforcement, and career development and leadership for women in policing.

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