Deputy Allender returns to the road after the birth of her son.

Deputy Rachel Allender recently returned to patrolling the streets of New Carlisle after the birth of her second child, a son named Jaxson who was born on October 1. Allender discussed the whirlwind of emotions that accompany being a mother and a member of law enforcement, stating that she enjoys patrolling the close-knit community setting of New Carlisle, but that she isn’t certain she would like to see her children pursue the same career.

“With what is going on in the world today, I’d be lying if I said I wanted my son or daughter to pursue a career in law enforcement,” Allender said. “My husband and I are both in law enforcement so that’s the life they will know growing up, and if it’s the career path they chose to take then I will be more than supportive of them and be so proud that they would be willing to risk their own life for others.”

She noted the change in perspective that parenting provides, in that she now understands the mixed feelings her own parents experienced when she decided to become an officer of the law, torn between pride and concern.

“I would however most certainly urge them to pursue a career doing something within the public service field where they can help people and make a difference,” Allender said of her children. “Now that I’m a parent I know how my parents must have felt when I told them I wanted to be a police officer.”

“My parents have always been very supportive of my career choice but I know they worry about me every day I’m at work,” she said.

All trepidations aside, Allender is proud to be able to do police work in a city such as New Carlisle, where residents of the community know and recognize her, which in turn, fosters a more productive relationship with those she serves.

“New Carlisle is unique compared to other jurisdictions in the county because it’s such a small community so I get the benefit of working in a place where everyone knows just about everyone,” she said.

“Being in New Carlisle allows me to build relationships and trust with people in the community and it helps solve so many crimes within the city. The community has to be the eyes and ears for law enforcement when we aren’t working...it assists in proactive policing as opposed to reactive.”

Deputy Allender said that after returning to the road after six months of being gone, she’s been approached by many New Carlisle residents welcoming her back and inquiring about the new baby.

“Working here in New Carlisle, I have been pulled aside and flagged down and approached on calls by people who have asked me about how I’m doing and wanting to know how my son is. It felt very nice after being off work to come back and hear that your were missed and that people were happy to have you back at work,” said Allender.

While Allender was totally off work for eight weeks, her presence on New Carlisle’s streets has been absent since this summer, as she switched to working in the jail about halfway through her pregnancy due to the risks posed to her unborn child.

“I don’t think it mattered if I had off eight weeks or eight months, I don’t think it ever would have felt like it was long enough,” she said of her time off, adding that the transition of going back to work was not at all as bad as anticipated.

Allender explained that her duties as a deputy sheriff were dramatically put into perspective after the birth of her first child, Olivia. Emphasizing the difference in caring for herself compared to protecting herself for the sake of her children, Allender said the situations she encounters while on-duty are also further compounded by her understanding of family dynamics.

“There are a lot of different emotions that I felt when I came out to the road patrol a few months after giving birth to my daughter in 2012 and that still hold true after having my son,” she said. “When I went into law enforcement I had no one else to look out for other then myself, but now that I’m responsible for two other people it makes me much more cautious as a police officer.”

“Being a mom also makes the calls that involve children much harder,” she continued. “When you see a child in a bad situation, whether it be problems at home, or at school, as a mother you want to step in and make it all okay. Unfortunately sometimes you can’t fix the problem and you can’t make it go away.”

Deputy Allender has been employed with the Clark County Sheriff’s Office since April of 2012, where she worked in the jail for three years before coming to New Carlisle in July of 2015.

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