The Truth About Being a Woman in the NYPD | Simone's Story

For eight years, she stayed silent. In this episode, Simone — a retired NYPD officer turned schoolteacher — sits down and tells her full story publicly for the very first time. She grew up between Brownsville, Brooklyn and Queens Village, served five years as an EMT, and spent over a decade on the NYPD in the 113th Precinct in South Jamaica, Queens. But when she became a new mother and was denied her legal right to take breaks to pump breast milk for her son, she made a decision that would cost her friendships, take eight years of her life, and ultimately force an entire department to change. She took on the NYPD — and won. Her fight pushed the city into compliance, put lactation facilities in commands and public buildings citywide, and created a brand-new patrol guide procedure that now protects every woman who comes after her. This is a raw conversation about faith, courage, the culture women face in law enforcement, and what it really means to put your PURPOSE over your PENSION. In this episode: • Growing up between Brooklyn and Queens, and how it shaped her • Leaving the Nation of Islam and finding her own faith in God • Five years as an EMT before the badge • The unspoken culture women navigate on the job • Being targeted after speaking up — and documenting everything • The moment "enough was enough" and the call that started it all • Eight years of legal battle, isolation, and leaning on faith • The settlement, the policy change, and the legacy she left behind • Retirement, teaching, and what purpose over pension means to her 00:00 Christmas Parties and Harassment 01:15 Introducing Simone 02:20 Growing Up in Brooklyn and Queens 08:00 Faith and Nation of Islam 13:00 EMS Experience and Advice 17:30 Near-Death Experiences 21:30 Becoming a Cadet 29:30 Transition to Police Officer 33:50 Police Academy Struggles 39:50 First Assignment at 113 Precinct 45:30 Being a Female Officer 50:00 Grooming and Christmas Party Scandal 56:00 Challenges for Black Female Officers 01:00:00 Harassment and Retaliation 01:05:20 Lust and Inappropriate Touching 01:10:00 Courage to Stand Up 01:14:00 Purpose and Dating on the Job 01:18:00 Traffic Unit and Difficult Supervisor 01:23:00 Pregnancy and Pumping at Work 01:30:00 Filing the Lawsuit 01:35:00 Transferred to Narcotics 01:40:00 Lawsuit Airing and Backlash 01:47:00 Class Action and Settlements 01:52:00 Injury, Three-Quarter Retirement 01:56:00 Retirement and New Purpose 02:02:00 Purpose Over Pension 🎙️ Purpose Over Pension is where law enforcement and first responders find their second life — grounded in faith, purpose, and truth. 👉 Follow @purposeoverpension for more stories like this. 🔔 Subscribe and turn on notifications so you never miss an episode. If this story moved you, share it with a cop, a first responder, or a woman on the job who needs to hear it. #PurposeOverPension #NYPD #WomenInLawEnforcement #Faith #FirstResponders #LawEnforcement #PoliceStory #Testimony #Courage