Product of Soesdyke serving her community well in New Jersey

By Natasha Waldron Anthony

Thirty-two-year-old Shaundell Barker accomplished several firsts when she joined the Guttenberg Police Department in New Jersey as an officer in 2007. She is the first African-American to work with that department since 1859, and the first female member of the Guttenberg Police Honor Guard.

The Guyanese-born detective, who left Guyana in the late 1980’s lives in Newark, New Jersey. She graduated from the New Jersey City University, where she studied Health Sciences. Being born into a family that peruses law enforcement jobs, Barker jumped at the offer to serve in the military. She made several attempts at the civil servant test but scored between 80 and 85 per cent, which was below the required mark.

“I was a little discouraged, and I figured if I really wanted it I have to find another way to achieve it; you set a goal and you push for it,” she said. She then decided to sign up with the Essex County Police Academy in 2003 where she funded her own tuition. Through the support of her seven siblings and parents, she received her certificate after completing the 7-month exercise. However, at that time, she had the task of seeking employment with a police department.

Even though there were several challenges that blocked her entry, Barker remained persistent and true to her dreams. She volunteered in the meantime, with the Essex County Sherriff’s Office, and it was there that she applied and was interviewed for the Guttenberg Police Department officer position and she was successful.

“There were 25 members, predominantly Caucasian males, and there was me, the little girl from Soesdyke (Guyana) that unfortunately wasn’t just handed the position. To date, I had to work tremendously hard to get to that place. So that in itself was very gratifying to me. I got in there and I kept reminding myself of the family values, where I came from, putting God first. I have to tell you that I am surprise,” she said,

The Guttenberg Police Department detective is also a lead instructor of the Junior Police Academy for the youths, where she offers mentoring and counselling to the youths in an effort to steer them away from drugs, gangs and the inevitable criminal activities.

The proud detective said that she really wanted to make a lasting impact. She did not want to serve just the community; she wanted the young inner city minority to look at her as a role model. She added that when they look at her, they should know that she is someone who came from another country, from a small backyard community, so, to her, it was more of an attempt to build a legacy.

Detective Barker hails from the Linden Soesdyke Highway in Guyana, and is the daughter of the late Cecil Barker who was a member of the Guyana Defence and Police Forces.