Black History Month Spotlight: Lieutenant Backman

 

 

 

Lieutenant Jennifer Backman is the Mount Pleasant Police Department's first African American female to hold the rank of Lieutenant. She was born and raised in Brooklyn, New York and permanently relocated to the Charleston area for higher education. She began her career with Mount Pleasant in 1994 and throughout the years worked as a police officer on patrol, a detective, and a first line supervisor in Criminal Investigations. She continued her career as a Sergeant in Patrol and later in Internal Affairs until promoted to the rank of Lieutenant. During the years, Lieutenant Backman has worked on multiple programs to strengthen community relations and deter juvenile delinquency. She also created a mentoring program to help new officers adapt to the profession and minimize the turnover rate. Lieutenant Backman has received many awards such as Woman of the Year, Corporal of the Year, and Most Professional. Lieutenant Backman holds a master’s degree from Springfield College and is a Distinguished Graduate from Capella University. She is currently an adjunct professor at Voorhees College.