Because of Her: Lt. Chanda Dolsen
postedNot every calling announces itself loudly.
Sometimes, it shows up quietly — under the hum of cicadas, on a dusty softball field, in a conversation behind home plate.
While working as a softball coach one summer, Chanda Dolsen met a sheriff's deputy who encouraged her to go on a police ride-along.
That ride-along didn't just show her a job, it showed her a purpose.
Chanda would go on to become an Indiana State Trooper. While she loved the job, she recalls the struggle of sometimes being the only woman working in her sector.
From home plate to a new home
After nine years in the role, Chanda needed a change of pace. She chose to apply to the Madison Police Department after her sister was hired here.
What she found at MPD was something different.
"When I first started here, we had 2-3 women working every shift. My first sergeant was a woman, " Lt. Dolsen recalls.
Chanda worked as a patrol officer, joined the department's training team, served as a street sergeant and was recently promoted to lieutenant. She currently works as the evening Officer in Charge.
Policing isn't easy. It never has been," Lt. Dolsen said. “But it's a rewarding career. And even on the bad days, I choose happiness.
Lt. Dolsen isn't just someone who found her calling to serve, she is someone who embodies it. She's a leader, a mentor, a friend.
And she's one of the amazing people we get to honor this Women's History Month.
This content is free for use with credit to the Madison Police Department.