Service and compassion

Tristan Kiekel, a patrol officer in the Yale Police Department (YPD), embarked on a career in law enforcement to make a positive difference. In almost two decades, she has formed strong bonds with the campus and local communities and helped countless individuals — and animals. Last year, Kiekel completed an assignment at the New Haven Animal Shelter thanks to YPD’s ongoing collaboration with the New Haven Police Department. Your Yale spoke to Kiekel about her path to YPD and her work in the community.

What training did you undergo to become a police officer?

After graduating from Quinnipiac University with a degree in sociology, I started to consider law enforcement. In 2005, I applied to six police departments. Yale was one of them, but I didn’t make the cut that year. By 2007, I thought perhaps being a police officer was not in the cards for me, but my cousin Norell Mascolo, a Yale Police dispatcher, let me know that Yale was hiring. I re-applied, and after I passed the written, physical, and psychological tests and completed the interview process, I attended the Connecticut Police Academy. After graduating from the academy, I successfully completed approximately six months of field training and a six-month probationary period. I became a full-time Yale police officer in March 2008.

What does a typical day look like for you?

After I get my daughter ready for school and feed our cats and fish, I head to New Haven. The first shift line-up starts at 6:50 a.m. with the shift supervisor reviewing suspects to lookout for and any areas with suspicious activity. Then we inspect our vehicles, and after that, I head straight to my patrol area. Once there, I look and listen for anything out of the ordinary. As a patrol officer, I drive or walk around my assigned area and address any law enforcement issues — car accidents, theft, armed robbery, or crowd control — and keep the community safe.

I think it’s essential for a police officer to form strong bonds with the community, so I do a lot of park and walks. I typically get out of my vehicle to speak with Yale Security Officers, local store owners, and Yale staff. It’s important to know who is in my area so that when something is out of place, I’ll know it.

I also work on investigations, am a field training officer, do crisis intervention, and am a member of YPD’s honor guard. Recently, we started a new program called peer-to-peer, where we look after officers if they need help or support. For instance, if they have a death in the family, get hurt, or are involved in a shooting, we call and check up on them.

What has been the most rewarding moment of your career so far?

My most rewarding moment was when the Yale Class of 1964 made me an honorary member for helping the late Charles Johnston ’64. I met and befriended Charlie when he was walking his dogs on the New Haven Green in 2016. I helped him get to hospital visits, brought him pizza every week, and coordinated fundraisers to cover medical and veterinary costs until he passed away. I still get emotional thinking about the plaque the class gave me and its inscription: Tristan Kiekel is an officer and human being of the first order.

I always aspired to be someone who could change a person’s life for the better. Reading that plaque made me realize I had attained that goal.

What advice would you give to individuals, especially women, considering a career in law enforcement?

I strongly believe you can do anything if you put your mind to it and work hard at it. There may be a bit of a learning curve, but I believe everyone has something to offer. In law enforcement, it’s good to have people from various backgrounds who bring different perspectives to the job and the community.

Don’t go it alone; find a mentor — someone you go to for support and advice. A significant part of the job includes daily interaction with the public and our community, and you need to be comfortable with that. The most important thing you can do as a police officer is treat people respectfully.

Talk about your work saving homeless animals and your time working with the New Haven Animal Shelter.

In 2023, I completed an eight-month assignment with the New Haven Animal Shelter. It was tough, demanding work that involved cleaning kennels and dealing with fearful, abused, and sometimes aggressive dogs. On average, about six dogs are abandoned a day in New Haven. I even helped remove a skunk from a graduate student’s apartment and relocate abandoned cats and rabbits. I also completed the training to become a licensed and certified animal control office in Connecticut, and I maintain my annual continuing education.

I have found pets to be my gateway into the community. If I notice that the pet needs help, I’m guessing its owner will, too, and I will help both. On my beat, if I see several cats in someone’s yard, the owners may not have the funds to get their cats neutered. I work with the owners and local rescue groups to make that happen. I try to make all my interactions positive and engage in a helpful, non-threatening manner.

In my 17 years as a police officer, the amount of abandoned, starving, and abused pets has increased drastically. Before I would see a few animals throughout the year; now I see homeless pets almost daily. It’s unfortunate, and we are at a crisis point. There are five families that I bring pet food to each month so they can keep their animals. I’ve got a wide network now of wonderful rescue groups and volunteers who pitch in when needed.