Huckleberries Gone Wi-Fi w/Wendy Carpenter

Originally posted at 1:20 p.m. Thursday

Kathy Plonka/Spokesman-Review

Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Wendy Carpenter, center, attended the groundbreaking of the new federal courthouse on Mineral Drive in Coeur d’Alene on Feb. 13, 2007.

DFO: Can you give us a brief rundown on your professional career?
Coeur d’Alene Police Chief Wendy Carpenter: I was a field training officer and I’ve worked every aspect of patrol/investigations. I was the first female sergeant, lieutenant, captain and chief of police for the Coeur d’Alene Police Department. My career has lasted 30 years.
DFO: Is it hard for a woman to be a police officer? Police chief?
WC: No. The biggest difference is at the end of the day I go in the women’s lockerroom and the men go in the men’s lockerroom. I’ve never been treated differently by the public or others in the department.
DFO: Have you picked a retirement date?
WC: It’s a floating date. However, I intend to be done by the end of September. It depends on when the next chief can start.

Complete interview here . Or you can read the rest in the extended entry section below.