Robust Turnout to Honor Women in Federal Law Enforcement, WIFLE Holds Annual Workshop
Women in Federal Law Enforcement (WIFLE), an organization devoted to achieving gender equity in law enforcement positions, recently held its annual leadership training workshop. This year’s event was in Tampa, Florida, and featured career sessions, resume workshops, sessions on the latest threats facing law enforcement officers, opportunities for networking and fellowship, and an award ceremony. It was also the largest event in WIFLE history, with approximately 1,000 attendees.
At the event, FEDTalk host Natalia Castro, deputy director of public affairs at Shaw, Bransford, & Roth, P.C spoke with WIFLE President Catrina Bonus and one of the award winners, WIFLE Foundation Public Service Award recipient Kristen de Tineo, Assistant Director of the Office of Field Operations at the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF).
Opportunity to Honor Women
WIFLE President Bonus said the organization’s awards demonstrate the hard work, courage, bravery, professionalism, and leadership that women in federal law enforcement give and are a “small way of honoring their hard work and courage.”
Assistant Director de Tineo was selected for the WIFLE Foundation Public Service award in a very competitive process, as the organization received 160 nominations across all categories. The award honors a female law enforcement leader who has shown dedication, commitment, and drive for public service.
Assistant Director de Tineo said she was honored “to know that the people that I work with thought enough of me to sit down and take time out of their busy schedules to write something up” and that “to be selected was amazing.”
Starting her career as an ATF special agent in 2002, Assistant Director de Tineo has worked across the country in various positions, most recently as Special Agent in Charge of the Chicago Field Division, where she provided strategic oversight on investigative priorities, worked to add two additional ballistics sites in the district, and worked with diversity programs to identify best recruitment practices.
“Every step that I’ve taken in my career, as soon as I decided to enter into leadership, was to find a way to make it better for the people that are working with me and for me,” said Assistant Director de Tineo.
One of the highlights from the Chicago Field Division was the inaugural citizen academy. Members of the community attended classes and participated in demonstrations to learn about ATF and its mission.
“That’s what we see in ATF is this incredible passion for everything we do,” said Assistant Director de Tineo, who added the academy helped the team “fall in love with our community all over again.”
In December 2021, Assistant Director de Tineo testified on gun trafficking before the Senate Judiciary committee. She called the experience nerve wracking but said she was honored that ATF leaders and other branches in government had enough trust in her.
Bonus added that it was her first time presenting and experiencing the award ceremony as president and that it was exciting to see agency leaders in the audience. “Our theme is ‘walk the talk,’ these agency heads are walking the talk,” she said.
Walk the Talk
WIFLE President Bonus spoke more about the conference theme, “Walking the Talk on Inclusive Leadership.” She said the theme “hit home” and that “setting the example is the biggest thing in your profession.” Bonus discussed how the workshop presented a slew of opportunities for women in the field, including training on emerging trends like fentanyl and active shooters, professional development day, leadership sessions, and a discussion of the 30x30 program which aims to have women make up 30 percent of law enforcement recruits by the year 2030.
Bonus noted that various agencies are walking the talk, with a record number of attendees. She attributed the robust attendance to a post-Covid environment but also the focus on diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) from the Biden Administration. Bonus noted that she is “touched and overwhelmed in a good way by the response.”
She also discussed WIFLE’s role as support system for the 20,000 female women in federal law enforcement, noting that WIFLE helps advocate, mentor, and support the workforce, and helps ensure agencies are creating an inclusive environment.
“The value of women in this profession is incredible,” said Bonus, who noted that studies show that women are less likely to use lethal force and know how to deescalate and communicate from a different perspective than their male counterparts.
Also attending were about 100 students. “They’re our next generation and we need to get them ready to take our spots,” said Bonus.
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