CSPD's most senior female officer ends 30-year career

Posted: Dec 8, 2010 5:14 PM by Zach Thaxton
Updated: Dec 8, 2010 5:36 PM

She never got shot at and and never had to shoot at anyone, according to her father. Remarkable considering her career as a Colorado Springs Police officer spanned 30 years. Teresa Schutz enters retirement unscathed, grateful, and humble.

Schutz began her career with Colorado Springs Police in 1980, a time when the force was dominated by men. It was a challenge for Schutz, who is known by fellow officers as being very shy and quiet. But Schutz embraced the challenge and parlayed it into a career spanning three decades. She's retiring this week as CSPD's current longest-serving female officer, and Wednesday afternoon colleagues threw a party in her honor at the Colorado Springs Airport.

Schutz served in many capacities during her career, but the highlight was eleven years she spent as a school resource officer at the Colorado School for the Deaf and Blind. Fellow officers say Schutz was always professional and compassionate, earning numerous awards and commendations.

In a speech at her going-away party Wednesday, Schutz reflected on her long career. "I learned that my partner may one day just have to suddently save my life and I may do the same to them. I learned about losing partners. But the biggest thing I think I've learned, especially from this unit, is that some men cops are just high-maintenance," she joked. "I just want to say that life is not a matter of counting the years, it's a matter of making the years count. 30 years went quickly... and I made them count."