Get to know the first female motor cop in the Peoria Police Department
Sarah Trieu has been named a Peoria Hometown Hero
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How to nominate
Know somebody in Peoria who should be recognized as a Hometown Hero? Here is how to do it.
Email: Send your nomination to aznews@iniusa.org, or fill out this nomination form yourvalley.net/hh-nomination/index.html.
After that: the nomination will be reviewed, and monthly winners will be selected based on their community contributions. Nominations should include name, email address and phone number along with the category of nomination, some details about the person being nominated and their accomplishments.
For her trailblazing in the community as the first female Peoria Police Department motor cop, Sarah Trieu has been named a 2023 Peoria Independent Hometown Hero.
The Hometown Heroes Awards are a celebration of individuals who live or work in the city, and Peoria businesses for their achievements and distinguished contributions to the community and beyond.
Trieu will be honored at an awards luncheon in February.
Where did you grow up?: I was born in Los Angeles and moved back and forth from Arizona to California quite a bit up until I was about 8 or 9 years old because my family owned a seafood market. My family eventually settled in Glendale, Arizona where I spent the majority of my life growing up. I always passed through Peoria growing up, although I admittedly never realized it was Peoria.
Did you always want to be a police officer?: Truthfully, I had no intention to ever pursue law enforcement but I always had a calling to serve.
How did you get involved with the Peoria Department and what is your previous experience?: I had no previous law enforcement experience or any really since I was so young. I started the academy at 20.5 years old and turned 21 in the academy. I am grateful that the Peoria Police Department took a leap of faith in selecting me to be a part of the department and giving me the opportunity to be a part of something greater than myself.
What do you like most about being a motor cop?: My favorite thing is being on the motorcycle. It’s an incredibly freeing experience that only motorcyclists understand. I also love the ability to be so quick and mobile, which allows me to catch up to violators swiftly. I also love seeing the look on citizens’ faces when they see my pony tail sticking out of my helmet because they’re surprised to see a female motor officer.
What do you like most about working in Peoria?: Peoria’s community has an overwhelming support for law enforcement. At times, law enforcement is seen in a negative light but our community has continuously reminded me that my efforts serving the community don’t go unappreciated. I often feel emotional when a citizen comes up to me and thanks me for my service. These moments reinforce why I love working for this city. The Peoria Police Department has also become a second family to me. I have developed relationships with coworkers that I believe will last a lifetime. I come to work every day and can say that I love this profession, my colleagues, my department and my city.
Philip Haldiman can be reached at phaldiman@iniusa.org, or on Twitter @philiphaldiman. We’d like to invite our readers to submit their civil comments, pro or con, on this issue. Email AZOpinions@iniusa.org.
Meet Philip Haldiman is an award-winning journalist who most recently took first place for investigative reporting in 2023 from Arizona Newspapers Association. He joined Independent Newsmedia, Inc., USA, in 2015, covering Sun City West his first year. Since 2016, he has covered the city of Peoria. Prior to coming to INI, he was a reporter with The Arizona Republic for seven years, covering numerous cities throughout the Valley. Before that, he was a freelance writer.
Community: Haldiman spearheads the Peoria Independent Hometown Heroes Awards program, honoring local individuals and businesses that give back to the community. He has hosted local candidate forums over the years and is a member of the Society of Professional Journalists. Haldiman also served as a member of the Journalism Program Community Advisory Board at Glendale Community College. Outside journalism, Haldiman served as a member of the city of Peoria Complete Count Committee for the Census, 2019-2020. Lastly, he has served as a member of his HOA governing board since 2021.
Education: Arizona State University with a BA in Journalism and Mass Communications and a BA in Theater.
Random Fact: Haldiman is a fourth-generation Arizonan as well as wrote and produced an autobiographical comic book about his time spent in Hollywood and his life as a cult film star.
Hobbies: He enjoys hiking Arizona’s mountainous landscapes and is currently working on a play for the stage.
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