30 years: Female Captain reflects on milestones with Wilmington PD

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — A special member of the Wilmington Police Department will sign off next week. Captain Kathy Cochran will retire on December 27 after 30 years on the force.

Cochran was one of the first women to sign on with the department. She says things are very different from how they were back in 1989.

“I’ve grown up in law enforcement and put this uniform on everyday, so it will definitely be a change,” Cochran said.

Cochran says it was a tough decision to make, but it’s time to pass the torch.

“Back then, I knew I wanted to be out in the community, engaging with people and something different,” she said. “I wanted a challenge and law enforcement provided that for me. That career.”

It was a career she stumbled upon that turned into a lifestyle. She was one of the first women to step foot into the department.

“There weren’t that many back then,” she said. “The future is bright for women in law enforcement.”

In just a few years, Cochran made leaps and bounds, working her way up through the ranks.

“I was the first female on the problem area tactical team, which was uniform drug squad,” she said. “I was very excited about that choice, being able to do that. I learned a lot.”

Cochran says it was an opportunity that gave her a foundation for the rest of her career.

“They teamed me up with the senior officer at the time, Gerald Lincoln, and he gave me some very good advice – ‘Watch the hands and listen to what’s being said,'” Cochran said.

Since then, Cochran has seen the department grow before her eyes.

“You know, technology has changed,” she said. “We have computers now, instead of doing reports on paper. We also have equipment that helps us keep our officers safe and even the people we take into custody.”

Most notably, Cochran says there are now around 40 women on the force.

“I’m happy to see the progression of women in law enforcement because they do such a good job,” she said. “We come from so many different backgrounds, but we do such a good job.”

Not all days were easy though. Cochran remembers one story in particular that she will carry with her for the rest of her life.

“You know, one of my hardest days here was the night Sergeant Fey got shot,” she said. “I was working and he was my officer, and then having to go to his house and notify his wife and take her to the hospital, not knowing if he had survived or not.”

But Cochran won’t forget the proud moments throughout her career either.

“The police memorial that’s out in front,” she said. “I was was on the board that helped fundraise and ultimately get that memorial built and installed.”

As she heads out, Cochran shares some parting words.

“I just want female officers to know that they can rise through the ranks, and it’s not impossible,” she said. “I look forward to the day when there’s a female police chief.”

Cochran plans to celebrate retirement by taking some time to travel and joining some recreational sports teams.

She won’t be gone for too long though. Cochran will become a volunteer member of the Wilmington Police Department.