From the archives: Oldest woman ever to graduate Suffolk County's police academy

This story was originally published in Newsday on April 17, 2004

Susan Pfeifer, like the 158 other rookie cops who graduated Friday from the Suffolk County Police Academy in Brentwood, is set to hit Long Island streets in days. But the Nassau native and mother of two college-age kids is in a class by herself, too.

At 48, Pfeifer is the oldest woman ever to enter the academy and ace the battery of physically demanding, mind-bending, emotionally challenging obstacle courses that Suffolk Police Commissioner Richard Dormer Friday dubbed a "grueling marathon."

Entering her third career while some of her classmates are barely old enough to legally order a drink, Pfeifer approached the tasks in the academy with more wisdom than brawn, more discretion than valor. She's the oldest and, perhaps, most mature member of a class where the average age is 32.6 years old.

"Mom" quickly became her unofficial title among the 20 other women and 138 men who trained alongside her during 38 weeks of training, some offering the encouragement that she said she needed to make it through the tests, particularly the seemingly endless sets of push-ups, sit-ups and running sessions.

"I will definitely say it was a really big challenge," she said. "I wasn't one of those women who was working out all the time. Even basic stuff like push-ups that are sometimes hard for women were definitely hard for me."

Several times, usually after she found herself nursing another black-and-blue bruise, Pfeifer considered abandoning the mission to become a cop, she said. But she said she got better, got used to the pain and sores, and built on her success.

"It was rough in the beginning," said Edwin Hugh, 33, a Selden native who was a New York City police officer for seven years, adding that he was impressed by Pfeifer's drive. "I give her a lot of credit. We had 20-something-year-olds in the class having trouble. She's got a lot of courage."

Pfeifer said her mother, Ree Burke, was her biggest fan.

"I didn't quit," Pfeifer said. "My main thought was whether I can do this job right. I want to be a good cop."

Being a cop was far from a lifelong dream for Pfeifer, who was a part-time civilian employee for the Nassau County Police Highway Patrol and then a ticket issuer in traffic enforcement for the Eighth Precinct in Levittown. She had raised children and ended a 20-year marriage, she said.

Then, in 1999, Pfeifer said, she thought she'd take a shot at the test. At that time, there was no age limit for cadets. Now, cadets can't be older than 35.

"I was around cops a lot," said Pfeifer, whose boyfriend, Larry Gilrain, is a 32-year Nassau County cop. "Every once in a while you heard about the test. I said, 'What the heck. I may as well take the test.' It's the only police test I ever took."

Friday, the graduates marched in to the wail and beat of the Suffolk County Police Department Emerald Society Pipe Band, culminating an odyssey of challenges since they took the exam to become officers five years ago.

The April 1999 exam has produced three classes of officers who work at many Long Island police forces. The group includes 137 new Suffolk County officers. Others in the class joined other departments. The county police force now totals 2,745. In Nassau, there are 2,474 sworn officers.

In Nassau's current class of 47 recruits, which started training in mid-January, the oldest male is 45 years old and the oldest female is 32 years old, said police spokesman Det. Sgt. Anthony Repalone. The average age of Nassau's recruits is 33.5 years old.

Pfeifer's class is composed of officers from the Suffolk County Sheriff's Department, Suffolk County Park Police, East Hampton Town Police, Riverhead Town Police, Southampton Police, Southold Town Police and Malverne Police. Sixty members of the class have been New York City Police Department officers, officials said.

George Roa, 41, said he was "on top of the world" Friday, adding that he's anxious to begin his tour in the First Precinct in West Babylon, where Pfeifer also has been assigned.

The Uniondale native said he always wanted to be a police officer, having served as a dispatcher for Nassau County police and a correction officer at the Nassau County jail.

"I did police work in many phases," he said. "I'm elated to be here. Now I've done it all."

Staff writer Keiko Morris contributed to this story.

LI's police, by the numbers

NASSAU SUFFOLK

2,474 Size of force 2,745

33.5 Average age, 2004 graduates 32.6

21 Minimum age to join force 21

35 Maximum age to join force* 35

2,208 men Gender Breakdown 2,416 men

266 women 329 women

*Reinstated since the previous test was given.

COMPILED BY ZACHARY R. DOWDY