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Rep. Val Demings reflects on time as police chief, congresswoman

ORLANDO, Fla. — As we wrap up women’s history month, we highlight a graduate of the FBI National Academy, a groundbreaking police chief and a congresswoman. Those are just some of the ways to describe Rep. Val Demings.

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If you ask Demings, she will tell you she’s just the daughter of a maid and janitor living the American dream as a humble public servant.

Over three decades of work led up to Demings being sworn in in 2017 to represent Florida’s 10th Congressional District.

She was also Orlando’s first female chief of police.

“There was a lot of excitement in the community about my appointment. But there were also people who — many of them women — who would say to me, ‘Well, you know, that’s a big job.’”

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It was a big job given after joining the department in 1983.

“I believe there were eight women in my class and that was a big deal,” Demings said. “But when I was appointed, crime was at an all time high in Orlando.”

So she did something about it.

“I reorganized the police department. I disbanded some units that weren’t doing a good job, I stood up some units that were doing a better job, and really joined forces, if you will, with the community,” Demings said. “We were able to reduce violent crime by over 40%.”

WATCH: Central Florida Spotlight: Women’s History Month

After 27 years, she retired. But she said another institution needs to grow.

“There are not enough women in Congress. The numbers are still very unbalanced,” she said. “Women bring very unique, different styles of leadership that are needed in everything but also in public service.”

READ: Women’s History Month: What is it, when did it start, who is being honored this year?

In the last two weeks, Demings secured over $6 million for Central Florida projects, including funding for things like Orlando police body cameras, youth homelessness prevention and clean water infrastructure.

Demings is running for U.S. Senate this year against incumbent Marco Rubio.

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