Another 1st for Melvina

KANKAKEE — What Melvina Calvin-Edwards lacks in physical stature, there can be no mistake made that the 47-year-old police officer has stood high when it comes to breaking barriers which once presumably was made of steel.

All of 5-feet tall and 130 pounds soaking wet, Calvin-Edwards is set to break a second barrier within the 67-member Kankakee police department.

She holds the distinction of being the first Black woman to be hired within the department, starting her law enforcement career with the Kankakee Police Department on Sept. 7, 2005.

She will hold the distinction this week of being the first Black woman to achieve the rank of sergeant.

It’s not a distinction the 1996 graduate of Donovan High School takes lightly.

“I never thought I would be a sergeant here,” she said. “I always thought I would be just a patrolwoman.”

She quickly stopped herself. She noted there is nothing wrong with being a career patrol officer.

“Being a supervisor just wasn’t attractive to me at the time,” she said of the many years on the job.

But she continued to take advanced classes and training. She began targeting post-law-enforcement careers.

“I’ve been setting myself for the future after retirement,” Calvin-Edwards said.

Like so many others, however, her skills made it impossible for the department not to push for her advancement.

Calvin-Edwards found herself training other officers even though she was an equal in terms of rank. She began to recognize the impact she was having.

“They were just little tidbits here and there I could give them,” she said.

As time marched on, she became more comfortable with the idea of becoming a sergeant.

“But I’m not perfect,” she said. “I would tell them ‘If you see me doing something wrong, I want to know.’”

MAJOR MILESTONE

Kankakee Police Chief Chris Kidwell called Calvin-Edwards’ promotion a “major milestone” within the department, reflecting progress in law enforcement diversity and opportunity.

“Melvina’s promotion is not only a personal accomplishment, but also an important moment in the department’s history, offering inspiration to others who might aspire to similar careers,” Kidwell said.

Beyond her job duties, Kidwell said Calvin-Edwards has made invaluable contributions in fostering positive relationships between the department and the public.

Her dedication to community policing during the past 20 years, he said, has without question made a lasting impact on building trust and cooperation within Kankakee.

“I’m very proud of Melvina,” he said. “She earned this. It’s clear her leadership and commitment to both the department and the community are qualities that make this promotion not only a milestone, but a source of pride for all involved.”

CLASSROOM TEACHING

It is completely fair to call Calvin-Edwards a teacher. She loves it, in fact.

She not only teaches while on the job, but off duty as well. She has been a law enforcement instructor at Governors State University (2005-12) and at Kankakee Community College, beginning in 2012.

Currently, she is a coordinator and assistant professor of KCC’s law enforcement and criminal justice program.

She teaches during the morning, rushes home, changes into her police blues and heads to the department’s headquarters at Donald E. Green Public Safety Center.

Keeping her eyes peeled on neighborhoods and the other patrol officers consumes the rest of her day. She finally heads home at about 11 p.m.

It’s a pace that is all-consuming. It’s also one she knows is impossible to keep up.

Her plan is to leave the city force on Sept. 8. While her life will be eased and she will spend more time with her 7-year-old son, Ace, a second-grader, and husband, Josh, she knows leaving the department she had called home will not be easy and will likely not be without tears.

“I enjoy every bit of this job, but I enjoy teaching,” she said.

Calvin-Edwards has about eight months left with the only department in which she has worn a badge.

“I will pack a lot into these last months,” she said. “I’ve been very happy here.”

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