VBT resident to be honored for work with Detroit Police Dept.

Detroit Police Officer Tanda Rawls-Owens, of Van Buren Township, is being recognized for her work as a Detroit Police Officer at the annual Women in Blue event at 8 p.m., April 4, at the MGM Grand in Detroit.
She is a nominee for the Women in Blue Officer of the Year award which will be announced at the event.
Police Officer Tanda Rawls-Owens has been a member of the Detroit Police Department since 1996. Early in her career, it became clear that Officer Rawls-Owens had a genuine concern and care for the citizens she served. While working in the Eighth Precinct’s Community Relations Unit, she was a fixture at community meetings and initiatives. In 2014, Police Chief James Craig appointed Officer Rawls-Owens to serve as a Neighborhood Police Officer.
In that role, Officer Rawls-Owens has flourished as an officer with a heart for the community. She is the coordinator for Bridging the Gap Initiatives – programs that she started to serve the community. Her programs include the Senior Safety Program which, thanks to a grant she secured from Home Depot, provides seniors with safety devices and decals for windows.
She hosts an annual Youth Career Expo which is currently in its seventh year. The Career Expo allows at-risk youth to meet various skilled trades workers to talk about alternatives to college. Officer Rawls-Owens also started an annual Back to School event (in its sixth year) which is held at public housing locations and provides school supplies and a mobile dentist for low-income children.
Officer Rawls-Owens is also known for her annual city-wide coat drive which serves approximately 1,200 citizens each year. In addition to these programs, she started Movies in the Park, which brings families and communities together for an opportunity to watch a movie together in a local park.
Officer Rawls-Owens is currently assigned to Professional Education and Training where she continues to fulfill her passion for the community and helping those in need. She started the “Serve Then Protect” initiative which uses student police officers to serve those in the community. This also takes place at various public housing locations and provides supplies like backpacks, clothing and food.
Through her years of community service, she established important partnerships with donors who support all her outreach programs. While at the Training Academy, she was able to use those partnerships to secure the donation of two trailers (worth approximately $70,000) from UAW. The trailers were outfitted for active shooter scenario-based training. She then worked to create a mock town for realistic active-shooter training including three streets and two trailer homes designed as homes and offices for training.
Officer Rawls-Owens secured the funding from donors who work through the Detroit Public Safety Foundation for all her projects.
She has made a great impact in Detroit and for her continued dedication, she is today’s #WomenInBlueWarrior. She is also a nominee for the Women in Blue – Female Officer of the Year award.