Sherri Rees McDonald is a 1993 graduate of the Austin Area School District, Austin, Pennsylvania. Upon graduating from AASD, Sherri enrolled at the University of Pittsburgh at Bradford and majored in Broadcast Communications with a minor in the Administration of Justice.
Sherri worked many jobs while attending UPB in order to help pay her college expenses. Some of those jobs were: Emporium Specialties, Schumacher's Inn (where she had also worked throughout high school) and National Fuel Gas in the summers, She also worked with the Potter County Probation/Parole Office, WFRM Radio Station, cleaned houses and bartender at the Old Tannery Inn.
In fact, she met her husband, Roy, while working at the Old Tannery Inn.
Roy is from the Washington, D.C. area and a few months after graduating from UPB, Sherri moved to Waldorf, Maryland to be with Roy. While pursuing employment relating to her degree, Sherri worked at a lawn mower repair shop. Her employer's nephew worked for the Capitol Police, liked his job, and encouraged Sherri to apply.
Sherri states, "I've always enjoyed helping others and have always had a strong sense of right and wrong, so, it wasn't that difficult of a decision to join the USCP; especially after a long, heartfelt discussion my my mom".
The hiring process took eight (8) months for Sherri to become employed. It can take up to two (2) years. She trained for 2 1/2 months at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center in Glynco, Georgia, and, another 2 1/2 months at the United States Capitol Police Academy in Washington, D.C. She was hired at the USCP in 1999 and most of her career has been working at the U.S. Capitol Building.
The following job description appears on the USCP website:
As America's Police Department —
- We protect the legislative process, the symbol of our democracy, the people who carry out the process, and the millions of visitors who travel here to see democracy in action;
- Every American who visits the Capitol, as well as those visitors from around the world, is a member of our protected community and sees first-hand how we are the best of America's spirit and diversity;
- As an agency, we are a microcosm of America, representational of many races, colors, religions, political affiliations, sexual orientations, and ages. Our workforce derives from almost all 50 states and territories, with some representation from other countries. We embrace and celebrate a diverse workforce, where we believe inclusion makes our workplace stronger and respecting each individual as a person and as a professional is essential; and;
- We represent the best in American policing. We act on the world stage every day of the year, as a model in security, urban crime prevention, dignitary protection, specialty response capabilities, and homeland security. We are often the first face that visitors and employees encounter, and we leave a lasting impression that is reflective of the Legislative Branch and its role in America's democracy.
The USCP have approximately 1800 uniformed officers serving in all the divisions other major police departments would have, such as, crime scene investigations, bomb squad, crowd control, etc.
Sherri's major duties are to process visitors into the buildings using x-ray machines and metal detectors, as well as patrolling the building. She also provides security and law enforcement for all events that occur at the Capitol, including State of the Union Addresses, Holiday Concerts, Inaugurations, Laying-in-State Funerals, various ceremonies, such as Gold Medal Ceremonies, demonstrations and protests, and hearings.
She has worked both President Bush's Inaugurations, both of President Obama's Inaugurations, President Reagan and President Ford's funerals; numerous demonstrations as part of the USCP Civil Disobedience Unit; and, met and escorted numerous Heads-of-States and World Leaders, as well as our own Secretary's-of-State and government leaders.
Sherri states that she was working at the Capitol Building on 9-11 and will always remember the look of terror on people's faces as the USCP evacuated the building while waiting for the last terrorist plane, which eventually crashed in Pennsylvania, and, the indescribable feeling of standing with her fellow officers literally surrounding the Capitol Building when our own fighter jets flew over them.
Sherri further states that "I also love working at the Friends of Ireland Luncheon which hosts our President and the Prime Minister of Ireland every year on Saint Patrick's Day. I love to hear the bagpipes echo through the building as we escort the Prime Minister to the meeting".
"For me, the best part of my job is working in the Capitol itself. It is such an amazing and beautiful building. That, and the vast array of different people I see, meet and protect. Not just the famous movie stars or world leaders but mostly the average person who come from all over the world to see our country and government in action".
"While I have had several arrests over the years, the opportunity to assist people, whether by just giving directions, medical attention, or, telling them about our great country is most fulfilling. Making someone's visit a little easier or nicer is a great feeling".
Sherri and Roy have been together for 18 years, married for 7 1/2. They have a wonderful stepdaughter who is grown and living in Delaware and two (2) amazing sons, Daniel, age 6, and Sam, who is 3. She states "They are the center of our world; and, as much as we enjoy the excitement and convenience of this area, we look forward to retirement and being able to move to a much smaller rural area".
Sherri Rees McDonald is certainly a person our young men and women of Austin should emulate.
