Reading Changed My Life - Townsend Press

Julia Burneydo is keep the peace and make our community abetter place to be.”Make no mistake—Julia was never a “soft cop.”She won her share of law-enforcement awards fordoing what had to be done. But she also gained thereputation of being “the mother of the policeforce.”She was—and is—a famous hugger. If she spotteda young drug dealer on the street, but didn’t seehim selling, something like this might occur. Shewould approach him like the mother and grandmothershe is. “I’d say, ‘Hey, honey. How youdoing? You remember me? I know your momma.Come here, let me give you a hug.’ ” Taken offguard by this uniformed officer’s approach, theyoung man would hug her back. Holding himtightly in her arms, Julia would murmur,“Sweetheart, you know where this is going to leadyou, don’t you?” And he would answer, “Yes,ma’am.” A woman of faith, Julia would hope that73