Selma High’s own Tracy Morgan was a Deputy sheriff at Fresno County for years, before becoming a teacher.  She was able to provide peaceful resolutions to people in crises for several years working 14 hour shifts on Thursdays, Fridays, Saturdays and “swing shifts from 4pm to 2am.” 

Morgan joined the police academy when she was 29, but she fell in love with law enforcement way before that. Ex‐Deputy Morgan worked at the sheriff’s department prior to her working as a deputy. She was a dispatcher and loved it because of “the overarching need to help other people ‘,” and she did for years.  

The best part of it was the adrenaline rushes, running toward danger when she knew others would be running away.  

It’s the sense of being important and making a difference for that person who needs it. 

“It’s a great feeling,” states Morgan. 

But the job isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for Morgan. The shift hours were the worst.  

“I worked a lot of nights, weekends, and all of the holidays. I missed a lot of birthday parties,” expresses Morgan. This  was a horrible sacrifice she had to make, but she knew it would all be worth it because she was doing it for them for her “kids and family.” 

“Knowing what my goal is: to fight for a better life for them,” that’s what made all the sacrifice worth it.  

But the good always outweighed the negative. 

“There is just too much,” Morgan responded after being asked what her favorite part of the job is. “The excitement of going to the unknown …help[ing] other people and really just enforcing the law..it’s what we need to make our community feel safe so that families feel safe …”  

It’s something she could go on for hours.

“I think the best part of it was just being part of that process of maintaining Law and Order in our communities,” describes Morgan.

 But it’s not just about the morality of it. 

“Driving a code 3 with the lights and Sirens then getting out and going into those adrenaline rush calls,” adds Morgan.

But being in law enforcement takes grit.  

The job takes “Dedication…I’ve done it I know how hard it is.  I know the sacrifices that are made and it just makes me appreciate our country. It makes me appreciate the Constitution. It makes me appreciate our freedoms and the people who are out there to make sure we all have those same freedoms,” said Morgan

But “ it is not a job for the weak-hearted or the faint-hearted,” emphasizes Morgan.

“It’s a job that requires people to be tough skinned. People are going to yell at you, People are gonna hurt your feelings.  It’s part of the job,” she continues. This is not a job for the weak. But a job of excitement, thrill and waking up knowing you’re making the world a better place makes this career all the more enjoyable.