[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 147 (2001), Part 17]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page 24560]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]



                    IN HONOR OF P.O. GLADYS FIGUEROA

                                 ______
                                 

                          HON. EDOLPHUS TOWNS

                              of new york

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, December 6, 2001

  Mr. TOWNS. Mr. Speaker, I rise in honor of P.O. Gladys Figueroa in 
recognition of her twenty-one years of service to the New York City 
Police Department and the people of New York.
  Gladys Figueroa was born in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Her parents brought 
her to New York City in search of a better life when she was four years 
old. They settled in Williamsburg, Brooklyn where she attended 
elementary through high school. She graduated from Eastern District 
High School in 1971. After her first semester at Queens College, Gladys 
decided to leave school and enter the work force. Gladys has been 
working since the age of 14 as a summer youth worker.
  While working, she held various positions: Receptionist, 
Administrative Aide, Legal Secretary, Cashier, Salesperson, and 
Waitress. At the same time, she was always looking for something else. 
She attended various trade schools, such as Airline Training, Massage, 
Home Improvement, etc. in January 1980, she finally found her home when 
she joined the ranks of the New York City Police Department. She was 
assigned to the 79th Precinct where she spent 13 years of her career. 
Her first assignment was to patrol the streets of Bedford-Stuyvesant. 
She saw everything that her precinct had to offer; her worst 
assignments were dealing with domestic violence issues. After five 
years on patrol she was assigned to the Community Affairs office of the 
79th Precinct, where she remained for the subsequent eight years. Her 
most rewarding task was working with the Youth and Community Councils. 
In 1994, Gladys was transferred to the Brooklyn North Community Affairs 
Office. She remained there until her retirement date on September 30, 
2001.
  Gladys is a people person. She enjoyed the various tasks associated 
with representing the police in a positive way with the community. She 
assisted in senior citizens programs, the Citizens Academy, and girl's 
basketball. She was especially fond of working holidays with senior 
citizens or bringing food to homebound AIDS patients. One of her last 
assignments was to join the Domestic Violence unit of the 90th 
Precinct. Her next assignment will be her most significant and most 
difficult, serving as a full time mom to her pride and joy, 14-year-old 
Diola, and 12-year-old Alejandro Castillo.
  Mr. Speaker, Gladys Figueroa has served the people of Brooklyn and 
New York City for over twenty-one years of proud and dedicated service 
as a New York City Police Officer. As such, she is more than worthy of 
our recognition today. I hope that all of my colleagues will join me in 
honoring this truly remarkable woman.

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