The next woman Generation Ratify Holliston would like to spotlight is Officer Hannah Ciavarra.

Article written by Carmen Luisi

Hannah Ciavarra was not always interested in being an officer. However, with an interest in sports and a desire for a new challenge everyday, Officer Ciavarra wanted to pursue law enforcement. She wanted a job where it would never be the same each day, she could learn something new, and would be able to socialize with others. With the help of school counselors in college, she graduated with a bachelors in criminal justice. 

Officer Hannah Ciavarra is currently the School Resource Officer (SRO) at Holliston High School. She helps ensure a safe school environment in order to allow staff and students to achieve their education goals without distractions. When she is not stationed at the school, she does patrol work. Officer Ciavarra is currently the only female working as a patrol officer in Holliston. Although there are many women working as dispatchers, women are outnumbered as patrol officers. In neighboring towns there are only a handful of women patrol officers. Officer Ciavarra is hopeful there will be more females discovering roles in the police force.

As the sole female patrol officer, Hannah states the role has advantages and disadvantages. She is lucky to have a very supportive department and trust between her coworkers. Some people may believe emotions are a sign of weakness, however emotions can be helpful by showing people that officers are there to help and do not have the stereotypical police officer attitude. When dealing with difficult cases, Officer Ciavarra approaches scenarios by being sympathetic and empathizing with the victim. Her biggest mantra is trying to embody how a person is feeling in that moment. She understands that many people who call the police are having a horrible day, so she is very helpful and understanding.

Instead of defining one’s character by their gender, Officer Ciavarra believes that if you present yourself with confidence and education it gains more respect. She has not faced any discrimination for being a female and she thinks it is not as common as people assume. Honesty and respect are huge in the police and being able to work collaboratively with other departments. One of the most important duties as an officer is coming to work prepared to be helpful and professional. 

Officer Ciavarra likes the adrenaline from dealing with a new situation each day. It is difficult to predict what her day may consist of. This may lead to being scared about what is going to happen next when reporting to a call. For that reason, it is important to have proper training to ensure protection for yourself and others by knowing your tools. Massachusetts does a lot of training and recertification all year round in order to be prepared and to be the best officer and  police force when responding to calls. 

Officer Ciavarra is a role model for women to join the police force and she has helped improve the town of Holliston. We would like to thank Officer Ciavarra for taking the time to meet with us and answering all of our questions. She is so nice and easy to talk to and a great addition to the Holliston school system in order to protect the staff and students to create a positive and safe learning environment. 

If you have any women that you feel should be highlighted, please send us an email at phoebewernborg@gmail.com.