Security Officer Gwenda McGowan celebrated 18 years of service with the Maryland Capitol Police on January 18; she was hired in 2000 as a temporary building guard trainee. In her determination to expand her knowledge and improve her skills, Officer McGowan has earned three different certificates from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) from courses she participated in that are designed to train personnel on how to operate safely and efficiently during an emergency incident or event.

During the last months of 2017, Security Officer McGowan worked 200+ hours of overtime, including some 16-hour shifts, to help the Maryland Capital Police cover unexpected vacancies and events. If you work in Annapolis, you probably saw her last September and October securing the damaged Senate parking garage doors to ensure that security at this building would not be breached. While waiting for the parts for the garage to be delivered and repaired, she also ensured that the employees who park in this garage were not inconvenienced.

Officer McGowan is extremely dedicated to her job and on occasion has to be told to take vacation time before she loses it! She consistently receives favorable job observation reports and high scores on her performance evaluations for her work ethic, team-work and customer service. Chief Wilson and her supervisors have commended her performance over the years, with Chief Wilson stating his sincere appreciation for her outstanding attendance. Here are some comments from her supervisors:

“Security Officer McGowan did an excellent job all during Session and on Sine-Die. Everyone knows what a busy time that is and that there’s a lot of interaction with state employees, elected officials, contractors and visitors, but S/O McGowan always remains courteous and professional.”

“Security Officer McGowan is very personable and tries to help whenever she can.”

“Security Officer McGowan is a very caring employee. She is always looking out for the well-being of others.”

“S/O McGowan does a great job securing the many buildings at night, and she is always willing to work overtime.”

Employees voted Security Officer McGowan Employee of the Month from the December 2017 Caught DGS nominees.