Janelle Myers
Harford County Sheriff's Office
Jarrettsville, MD
Janelle Myers was nominated by Ryan Behnken of Worthington Financial Partners.
Corporal Myers started her career with the Harford County Sheriff’s Office as a Correctional Officer in 1997. She worked as a Correctional Deputy through 2004. In March of 2007, Corporal Myers attended the Harford County Sheriff’s Office Law Enforcement Academy and became a Harford County Law Enforcement Deputy, where she has continued to serve the citizens of Harford County with courage, honor, and integrity for the last 17 years.
In addition to successful assignments in criminal patrol as both a Deputy and Deputy First Class, Corporal Myers was also appointed to the agency’s Criminal Investigation Division as a Detective assigned to the Child Advocacy Center (CAC), where she spent nearly seven (7) years investigating complex and challenging crimes against children. In April of 2022, she was promoted to Corporal, where she was assigned to the Community Services Division as the Supervisory Corporal for the School Resource Officer Program, followed by her current assignment to the Police Operations Division Northern Precinct as a Patrol Corporal.
Since 2013, Corporal Myers has been heavily involved in volunteer work with Pathfinders for Autism (PFA). As a volunteer for PFA, Corporal Myers has helped establish a law enforcement and community partnership with the largest autism resource organization in Maryland. She helped introduce the first statewide curriculum utilizing a self-advocate for law enforcement, fire, and EMS training. Hence, first responders know what to expect when encountering and trying to communicate with autistic/developmentally Disabled individuals.
Corporal Myers volunteers an average of three to four times a month as an instructor in PFA’s First Responder Training Program and Be Safe Program. PFA’s First Responder Training Program teaches law enforcement, corrections, social workers, state’s attorneys, public defenders, the Department of Defense, the Secret Service, case advocates, and crisis intervention and negotiation teams throughout the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia (DC) how to recognize, interact and communicate with autistic/developmentally disabled individuals.
PFA’s Be Safe Program is a program showing individuals in the community with disabilities how to have a safe interaction with police. This 2.5-hour training brings local police together with up to 20 teens and adults with an Autism Spectrum Disorder diagnosis or an intellectual/developmental disability, plus their parents, caregivers, teachers, therapists, and adult services staff. The training uses video modeling to show viewers how to interact with the police in everyday encounters. Seven episodes demonstrate skills ranging from following instructions to the right to remain silent.
In addition to protecting and serving the citizens of Harford County, traveling all over the state of Maryland and DC, and teaching both first responders and individuals in the community with disabilities and their families, Corporal Myers prioritizes caring for her adult son with intellectual disabilities. She ensures her son Glen has a fulfilling life filled with love and purpose.
This is what the Pathfinders for Autism Organization had to say about Corporal Myers:
“Since 2013, Deputy Myers has been instrumental in our first responder training program as an instructor and as an expert on relevant law enforcement content for our curriculum. She shares her personal stories from her comprehensive experiences in a correctional facility, at the Child Advocacy Center, as a patrol officer, and as a mom to a son with intellectual disabilities.”
“In summary, CPL Myers has been involved in public service since 1997. She continues to steadfastly serve the citizens of Harford County with courage, honor, and integrity as both a former Correctional Officer and currently a law enforcement Corporal. Since 2013, Corporal Myers has been sharing her expertise in both law enforcement and as a mom to a son with intellectual disabilities as a volunteer with Pathfinders for Autism, which has allowed her to educate, influence, and change people’s perspectives all over the state of Maryland and the District of Columbia. For these reasons, I am honored to say that Corporal Jennelle Myers is not only a professional colleague but a friend and one of my heroes,” said Behnken.
