First woman police officer in Mass. town dies, remembered for ‘breaking barriers'
The first woman police officer sworn into the Freetown Police Department is being remembered for 'breaking barriers' after her death in May.
Susan Jose, 81, died unexpectedly on May 10 with her family by her side at St. Anne's Hospital.
Starting in 1971, she 'dedicated over four decades of her life to the Town of Freetown,' her obituary stated.
Her first job with the department was as a part-time signal operator, 'answering emergency calls during a time when public safety communications were truly the heartbeat of emergency response,' the police department wrote on Facebook. She became full-time two years later.
In 1975, she made history by becoming the first woman sworn into the Freetown Police Department — 'breaking barriers and paving the way for those who followed,' the police department wrote.
She later became a communications supervisor and police secretary, 'where she served as the calm voice behind the radio and the steady hand managing day-to-day department operations.'
'Susan's impact on this department extended far beyond her titles,' the police department wrote on Facebook. 'She was a mentor, a friend, and a trusted voice for so many — always embodying professionalism, integrity, and compassion. Her presence shaped the very foundation of the Freetown Police Department.'
She retired from full-time service in 1998 but continued to work as a part-time dispatcher until 2014.
But her legacy didn't stop there.
In 2023, her granddaughter, Kaylin Jose, was promoted to the rank of sergeant. Kaylin Jose was the first woman officer in department history to hold a supervisory position.
'In a moment of fitting tribute, it was Susan who proudly pinned Sergeant Jose's badge — symbolizing not only a family legacy but also the powerful example Susan had set decades earlier," the department wrote.
Kaylin Jose spoke during a memorial service on May 28, talking about how important it was to not only follow in her grandmother's footsteps but carry her legacy forward.
'Standing there with her felt like the greatest honor of my life,' she said of her 2023 pinning.
She also spoke of the nickname she gave her grandma, calling her 'Mima.' She spoke of her love and devotion, stating she was the 'true matriarch of our family.'
'Growing up, I was in awe of her,' Kaylin Jose said. 'I looked at her uniform, her badge, her purpose and I saw a hero.'
She talked about how in fourth grade, she dressed up in grandmother's police uniform for career day.
'I wore that uniform with pride, and it was then I knew exactly not what but who I wanted to be,' she said.
An American flag flown at the Freetown Police Department on Memorial Day was given to her family as part of the department's appreciation for all that Susan Jose gave to them.
'We are grateful for all she gave, and her legacy lives on in the department she helped build,' the department wrote.
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