HeadshotRanto Bernhardt

Ranto Bernhardt was born in the Dominican Republic.  When she was four years old, her family relocated to the United States where she was raised in Washington Heights in uptown Manhattan, New York.  Growing up in a diverse neighborhood, surrounded by different cultures and languages, helped shape and strengthen Ranto’s identity and pride in her culture, as well as her respect for people of different backgrounds.

As a teenager, Ranto spent many hours watching Forensic Files, which was the initial spark that led her to want to become a police officer.  She enrolled in CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Criminal Justice and a minor in Physical Education.

After working in retail and hospitality management during and after college, Ranto decided to transition into a law enforcement career.  Once she became a naturalized citizen, she applied to three different police departments including the DC Metropolitan Police Department.  Her official hire date with MPD was September 18, 2017, and upon graduation, she was assigned to the Third District. During her time with MPD, she says her perspective has evolved along with her career and personal life.  This evolution has reignited her passion for officer health and wellness.

Ranto is an ABLE certified instructor and works with the Engaged Workforce Strategic Focus Group at MPD.  She believes both of these roles have helped her be more thoughtful about how she can positively impact MPD members through the different avenues of her work.

HeadshotViola Brock

Viola Brock is a native Washingtonian who grew up in the Northwest quadrant of Washington, D.C.  She has been a member of the Metropolitan Police Department for seven years, where she started her career as a police cadet in 2015 at the age of 18 and graduated from the Academy in November of 2017.  Viola is currently assigned as a Community Outreach officer in the Second District.

While at MPD, Viola has assisted with the management of outreach events in both the Sixth and Second Districts and has been responsible for handling confidential information while assigned to the recruiting division.  She has also led panel discussions, attended large scale venues, and handled mass demonstrations. In addition, Viola has become familiar with United States diplomatic immunity laws while working closely with the United States Secret Service in the Second District.

Viola believes that one of the benefits of having worked in many different roles at MPD are the relationships she has made with people from different areas within MPD.  When she is not working, she enjoys being with her fiancé and two daughters, going shopping, or watching movies.

 HeadshotAndre Davis

Andre Davis was born in Rahway, New Jersey, and raised in Jackson, NJ. While in middle school and high school, he played football, wrestled, and ran track & field.   Andre also frequently served as a volunteer in the community.

As a child growing up in a predominantly white neighborhood, Andre’s mother influenced him to attend a historically black college. He graduated cum laude with a B.S. in Political Science from South Carolina State University (SC State).  As a student at SC State, Andre was a member of the NAACP chapter and the Alpha Phi Alpha Fraternity Inc., where he continued to participate in various volunteer activities.

Andre joined the Metropolitan Police Department for the District of Columbia in 2015 and is currently assigned to the patrol division of the First District. During his free time, he teaches Jiu Jitsu and self-defense for women. Additionally, Andre enjoys swimming at the local recreation centers and participating in various forms of exercise. In the near future, Andre wishes to further his education and obtain a master’s degree.

 HeadshotMalik Gosha-Jorden

Malik Gosha’-Jorden was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, and joined the DC Metropolitan Police Department in 2016.  He attended Hampton University and graduated with a Bachelor’s of Science in Criminal Justice in 2014. During his time at Hampton, Malik served as President of the Hampton University Chapter of Alpha Phi Sigma Criminal Justice Honor Society and participated in an internship with Lower Merion Township Police Department.  Before joining MPD, Malik worked as an Asset Protection Manager for Walmart in Philadelphia and Alexandria.  He currently works as an Investigator with the Violence Reduction Unit.

Malik takes pride in leading by example by being a relatable and engaging member of law enforcement, always looking to bridge gaps between the community and MPD. He looks forward to forging new relationships and becoming further involved in addressing the issues facing law enforcement.

 HeadshotAminata Jallow

Aminata Jallow was born in Maryland; however, she has spent the majority of her life internationally, living in countries including Belgium, Zimbabwe, and Uganda. She attended Eastern Connecticut State University where she obtained a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology with a minor in Criminology. Soon after graduating from college, she returned to the Washington, D.C. area to start her career with the Metropolitan Police Department.

Aminata has always had a strong interest in people and learning about various cultures. Likewise, she aims to police with an emphasis on keeping an open-mind.  She is assigned to the Fourth District where she currently serves on the Outreach Team, which gives her an opportunity to positively impact the community.

Off-duty, Aminata enjoys spending time at home, reading, cooking, and catching up on her favorite shows. In the near future, Aminata plans to become a detective.

 HeadshotEvelin Lazo-Zelaya

Evelin Lazo-Zelaya was born and raised in Washington, D.C., where she graduated from Bell Multicultural High School in 2014.  A year after graduating from high school, she joined the Metropolitan Police Department Cadet Corp in June of 2015. She maintained her position as a cadet participating in community events and attending the University of the District of Columbia for approximately two years. In May of 2017, she transitioned over and become a recruit officer.  After successfully graduating from the Metropolitan Police Department in November of 2017, she was assigned to the Third District.

Throughout her career in the Third District, Evelin has enjoyed patrolling on her mountain bike, assisting citizens, and engaging her community. In 2021, she was reassigned to the Violent Crime Suppression Division – Community Focus Patrol Unit and continues this assignment today. One of her current goals is to become a Canine Handler for the Metropolitan Police Department, with the hope of adding more diversity to the unit and inspiring other fellow female officers and young girls who may want to become officers or expand their careers within the Department.

 HeadshotMorris Lovelace

Morris Lovelace is originally from the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania area. He received his bachelor’s degree in criminal justice from Kutztown University of Pennsylvania in 2013. Morris has been with the Metropolitan Police Department since April of 2018. Prior to joining the MPD family, he was a secure detention counselor at the Montgomery County Youth Detention Center in Pennsylvania.

Morris enjoys volunteering his time to help young people and is affectionately known in his home community as the voice of the youth, where he spent many years coaching basketball in the Police Athletic League in Bensalem Township.  He was also a youth counselor in various schools in West Philadelphia.

Morris spends his free time with his family, fraternity brothers (Omega Psi Phi), participating in church activities, and hanging with friends. He lives by the mottos, “good days outweigh your bad days,” and “you’re too blessed to be stressed!”

Jessica Navarro

Officer Jess Navarro is from Pittsburgh, PA and spent her adult life living in different places across the country serving in the Army and later as an Army wife.  After graduating from Methodist College with a BA in Criminal Justice/Spanish, Jess began her policing career at Fayetteville Police Department, NC, where she served as a patrol Field Training Officer, Property Crimes Detective, and Violent Crimes Detective. The highlight of her career was being selected as the lead case agent for a serial rape case that terrorized the city for years and was ultimately closed with an arrest and conviction.

Jess was selected in 2020 to start the Second District Auto Theft Unit. She has served as an Auto Theft Investigator since then and is assigned to the Second District Crime Suppression Team. She enjoys working in a team environment and networking to solve crimes.  Jess graduated from the Center for Homeland Defense and Security Emergence Program at the Naval Postgraduate School in June 2022. Her change initiative project (Using Microsoft Teams to improve Information Sharing) has been endorsed by command staff and implemented at MPD.

In her time off, Jess is busy working her full-time job as a mom of three elementary school-aged kids. Wellness is a priority in her life and she enjoys working out with all of her mom friends, pushing each other to become stronger and healthier role models for their children.

Since taking nearly a decade off from law enforcement to stay home with her kids and support her husband’s military career, Officer Navarro returned to the field as a police officer with a new perspective as a mother.  Advocating for vulnerable populations, especially children and Latino people by connecting through the Spanish language, is her driving motivation at MPD. 

 

 HeadshotCarly Royden

Carly Royden attended American University in Washington, D.C. and earned her Bachelor of Arts in Public Communications with a minor in International Business. In 2017, Carly began her marketing career working at Discovery Communications. As an account coordinator within their internal creative agency, she worked on projects for Investigation Discovery (ID), TLC, and Discovery Channel’s corporate team. Carly later joined the DC Metropolitan Police Department as a marketing specialist and now manages marketing for the Recruiting Division with the goal of hiring a new recruit class each month. Through her current role, Carly has developed a passion for working in law enforcement and national security. In her free time, Carly enjoys reading, walking her dog, Scooby, and traveling around the world with her husband.

 HeadshotJasma Stoutamire

Jasma Stoutamire was born and raised in Washington, D.C. She attended Bowie State University and earned a BS in Criminal Justice, with a focus in Forensic Science. While attending BSU she was also employed with the Metropolitan Police Department as a recruit.

Jasma joined the Metropolitan Police Department in December 2016 and started as an Officer in the Second District.  Soon thereafter, she was selected to be the Homeless Outreach Officer. In June 2022 she was promoted to Sergeant and is currently assigned to the Sixth District.

In her free time, Jasma enjoys self-care days, traveling, and enjoying time with family.

 HeadshotIatezaz Tariq

Iatezaz Tariq grew up in the DC Metropolitan area and was raised by his Pakistani and Ghanian parents. He was brought up in a household committed to serving the community and respecting the rights of others. Having volunteered for numerous community service events as a member of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Youth Association, Iatezaz has been passionate about serving less fortunate communities.

Initially, Iatezaz attended Randolph-Macon College in Virginia where he was a student athlete; however, he realized that his true passion was to pursue a degree that would allow him to serve the community as a public servant. After receiving his Bachelor’s of Science in Criminology, with a concentration in Homeland Security and a Minor in Intelligence Analysis from George Mason University, he was ultimately hired by the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) in 2014 and assigned to patrol in the Sixth District. After a few years, Iatezaz was then selected to join more specialized units within the Metropolitan Police Department, which focused on reducing violent crime within the district.