From BHS to the Burnsville Police Department: Q&A with 2022 alum Alyssa Wood

Alyssa Wood is a 2022 graduate of Burnsville High School. At BHS, she earned her Emergency Medical Technician (EMT) certification and took college courses that helped her earn a bachelor’s degree in law enforcement from Minnesota State University, Mankato in two and a half years. 

After college, Wood moved back to Burnsville and was hired by the Burnsville Police Department as a Community Service Officer. She finished her Law Enforcement Skills program at Hennepin Technical College and on April 7 was sworn in as a patrol officer for the Burnsville Police Department. Wood had her badge pinned on by her father, who is also an officer. 

Why did you decide to pursue a career in law enforcement?

I have been interested in a career in law enforcement on and off since I was a kid. I have several family members in law enforcement and have always looked up to them and loved hearing about the job. I wanted a job where I would get to help people and where every day would be something new. 

How did your experience in District 191 schools prepare you for life after high school?

Burnsville High School gave me a good education, provided me with a very diverse group of people to get to know, and had many college level classes that helped me be able to graduate with a bachelor’s degree in 2 ½ years. I received my EMT certification through the EMT course at the high school. This was one of my favorite classes that I took, and I believed greatly helped me prepare for this career. Since Burnsville firefighters are also paramedics, Burnsville Police do not end up needing to do too much medical intervention as our paramedics arrive fast. Even so, the EMT course helped me prepare how to keep calm under pressure, work under stress, and manage a fast paced and quick changing environment. I also know that if there ever is a time that the medics aren't able to arrive as quickly as usual, I will be prepared to do what I can to help. 

I would say that the two most influential teachers I had were Mrs. Dempsey and Ms. Hansen. Mrs. Dempsey was my EMT teacher, and thus I spent a lot more time with her than most of my other teachers due to that class taking two periods. Mrs. Dempsey always pushed us to work hard and do the best we could. Even with the difficult and stressful coursework, she always made it fun. Mrs. Dempsey also assisted me with making connections with our School Resource Officer Javier Jimenez, as she knew that I wanted to go into law enforcement. In addition to classwork, Mrs. Dempsey was always there for me to talk with about anything else going on in life. 

Ms. Hansen was one of my English teachers, and was always supportive of all her students. Ms. Hansen helped me rediscover my love for reading and provided me with several suggestions for series that she thought I would love. I always loved going to her classes and would often stop into her classroom to chat even once I was no longer in any classes with her. 

How did it feel to receive your badge on April 7?

It felt like finally reaching a goal that I had been working towards for many years. Even though I have been off of training for several months, it became more real. My dad is a police officer and is the person who pinned my badge on, which is also something that I have been envisioning for many years. I was so appreciative of the people who were there to support me who had all been an important part in me being there that day.  

How does it feel to serve the community of Burnsville?

I have gotten a lot out of the community and I am honored to be able to serve in the community that I grew up in and continue to help make it a better place.