Nancy Gene giles

I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and was raised by my Dad, Mom, Grandpa and Grandma.  Ethics, truth, integrity and honesty were the values they instilled along with showing me that I could do anything.  After moving to Westerville, Ohio, graduating high school and a year at Ohio State University in 1960’s, I struggled to find what I wanted to study. 

That made it easy for me to say “yes” when asked to be a Franklin County Deputy Sheriff in 1965.  As a young woman I faced acceptance in a male only profession and managed a sexist environment while training new deputies in CPR, criminal justice and crowd control. 

After 7 years of being their only woman Deputy in a time of turmoil and after the passing of the Sheriff, I seized the opportunity to be a Westerville Police Officer.  I was hired as their first Policewoman and to implement a Federal Grant in Community Relations at a time when police officers desperately needed a positive image.  I also taught law enforcement classes to veteran officers and newly hired recruits at Columbus Technical Institute.  I wrote a column in a weekly suburban newspaper, taught safety to women, talked about drugs with students and helped businesses all while experiencing a difficult “me too” situation.

The beginning and ending of my 50+ years has led me back to serving and protecting.  In my “repurposing” I am hoping to share law enforcement experiences from the 1960’s, tell stories of working in male dominated professions and encourage women to reach their full potential. 

Writing a book called The Accidental Deputy during a pandemic, just seemed like a logical next step.