Cincinnati police captain Danita Pettis celebrates 25 years of service

By Jerome Waller Herald Contributor Captain Danita Pettis recently earned her 25 Year Service Award from the Cincinnati Police Department. This award reflects the highs and lows of serving, seeing, and responding to an array of challenges enroute to becoming the highest ranking African American female in the Department. She is one of only two African American women who have attained the Command staff rank of Captain in the force’s 150plus-year history, with the other and first being the late Captain Kimberly Williams. Captain Pettis is currently the Commander of District Two. She began her law enforcement career in 1999 after serving as a 911 Operator and quickly progressed through the ranks on the merits of being an intelligent, strategic, problem-solving leader. Pettis was promoted from Police Officer to Sergeant in five years. After scoring second on the Lieutenant’s promotional exam, she was promoted from Sergeant to Lieutenant in 11 years and from Lieutenant to Captain in four years, after again posting the second highest score on that Captain’s promotional exam. She has been leading from the front as a Captain for five years now. In varying capacities, Captain Pettis has served in three of the City’s police districts: from...