WORCESTER—Quinsigamond Community College has made strides in diversifying its Campus Police department with the recent hiring of two new female officers.
Nicole Maffei and Cheyenne Walker were sworn in on June 21, 2024, and are currently undergoing the college’s six-week field training program, according to a recent announcement from the college.
This move comes in light of a 2022 report by WCVB Channel 5, which highlighted that only 12 percent of sworn police officers in Massachusetts were female, with Worcester’s rate just over six percent. QCC has mirrored this low representation of female officers over the past two decades. However, the college has intensified efforts to diversify its police force in terms of both gender and ethnicity. The addition of Maffei and Walker, along with a third female security officer set to graduate from QCC’s police academy in September, marks a significant step in these efforts.
“The number of people, especially diverse candidates, applying to work in policing is decreasing. It is vitally important for us to be representative of the communities we serve,” said QCC’s Chief of Police Stephen DiGiovanni, in a statement. “We are happy that our level of diversity has increased throughout various ranks and we will continue to work on diversifying our department.”
Maffei, who previously served as a correctional officer at the Worcester County House of Corrections, has long been drawn to criminal justice due to her desire to help people and the influence of family members who were police officers or served in the military.
“Everyone told me I couldn’t do it because I was too small or too soft-spoken. So, I had to prove them wrong,” said Maffei in a press release. “Now I’m setting an example for my young niece, who says she wants to help people too.”
Maffei noted that qualities others once viewed as weaknesses have proven to be valuable assets. Her approachable demeanor has become a positive presence on campus, with many students feeling comfortable enough to approach her and say hello.
Walker developed an early interest in policing and earned a criminal justice degree from QCC in 2019. She began her law enforcement career with the Transportation Security Administration in Boston. Seeking a greater challenge, she completed the Worcester Police Academy and was thrilled to return to QCC, where her journey in criminal justice first began.
“When I went to school here, I had a lot of conversations with Security Officer Jose Rivera. It made me feel comfortable on campus. I want to be that person you feel comfortable talking to,” Walker said in the announcement.
Maffei and Walker both noted that there are certain situations where people seek out a female police officer, such as sexual assault or domestic violence cases.
“QCC is so fortunate to have a police force that includes women, people of color and speakers of multiple languages, which reflects our student population. We want to serve everyone in the QCC community,” DiGiovanni added.
Send your news to Charlene Arsenault at carsenault@theworcesterguardian.org
