Ocoee officer makes history

Ocoee Police Officer Marissa Cummins on Feb. 18 became the first female at the department to earn her SWAT certification. 

However, despite the significance of the historic accomplishment, Cummins insists she’s just like anyone else who participates in the training. 

“It’s the same as anyone else getting their SWAT certification,” she said. “To me, I finished school, so girl or not, I finished. And that’s all that really matters.”

METRO SWAT

The Orange County Sheriff’s Office hosted the Metro SWAT training in February. To be part of the training, Cummins had to complete tryouts in September 2021.

Participants ran 400 meters; carried a 20-pound sandbag; and did five pull-ups, 10 push-ups, and 15 sit-ups. They then had to repeat all the exercises three more times in less than 14 minutes total. 

Cummins said she was interested in the training because she wanted to expand her skill set. 

The Central Florida Metro SWAT team encompasses Ocoee, Apopka, Winter Park, Maitland and Winter Garden police departments. 

As a member of SWAT, Cummins will experience more training with firearms and movement, get to know other agencies, and obtain the chance to go on call-outs outside of just the small area of Ocoee. 

After tryouts, the officers are sent to SWAT school, where they engaged in two weeks of mental and physical challenges for about 100 hours. 

During Orange County SWAT seminars, the officers participated in firearm training, tactical shooting while moving, learning blocks including medical and breaching, building searches, and scenario-based exercises. 

Cummins said none of the exercises was too rigorous or damaging to the body, and the hardest part of the training was her lack of sleep. 

At the time, she was working night shifts, so getting used to waking up on a daytime schedule around 4 a.m. and heading out for 10 hours of training was tough. 

“When we finished the training I went home and slept for like 12 hours,” she said, laughing. 

Officer Cummins and fellow Ocoee PD Officer Jeffrey Hall earned their certifications Feb. 18. 

WOMEN WARRIORS

Although Cummins is the first woman to earn the certification from Ocoee PD, there is another woman on SWAT from the Winter Garden Police Department. 

“Don’t get me wrong, it’s an accomplishment, but I think there’s this common misconception,” she said. “I mean, in the 1980s women weren’t treated as fairly. But for me, starting in 2018, no one has treated me any differently. It’s really more about your goals and what you want to do with your law-enforcement career.”

She said she has had more hurdles being left-handed than being female. 

“Being female has nothing to do with it,” the officer said. “Being a girl at the department hasn’t really hindered me.”

Cummins said every squad at Ocoee has at least one girl. 

“I definitely see it as a good proportion of female officers to male officers,” she said. “Ocoee is pretty well staffed with women.”

Ocoee Police Chief Saima Plasencia said Cummins’ accomplishment is both admirable and historic.

“Completing SWAT school is no easy feat; she endured long days of physical activity and mental challenges to complete the training to become a member of the team,” the chief said. “She was the only woman graduating from her training class as all the other participants were men. Her desire and determination to accomplish this goal was always evident. We are so very proud of what she has accomplished.”

HOMETOWN HERO

Cummins was born and raised in the area and attended all of the local schools. In her high school years, she worked for the city of Ocoee in the Parks and Recreation Department. 

Cummins attended college in St. Petersburg, where she studied criminology, but her heart eventually led her back to her hometown. 

“It was one of those things where you grow up and you’re like, ‘I want to get out of my hometown,’” she said. “After those four years, I was like, you know what? I’m going to go home.”

Cummins has a natural knack for interpreting and interacting with the troubled youth in the area. Only a few short years ago, she was one of them. At 25, Cummins is one of the youngest officers in the Ocoee department. 

“Ironically, I was not a very good teenager,” she said. “Because I wasn’t the best kid, I had a different perspective of Ocoee.” 

Cummins is inspired to work with juveniles, especially teenagers. 

“They can get in a little bit of trouble, but there’s still a chance they’re going to turn out perfectly fine,” she said. “I’m not perfect, but I think I turned out OK.

“When dealing with the community, children, the elderly and animals especially, they don’t really have as strong of a voice, so you kind of have to be the voice for them,” she said. “That’s the bigger part of what inspires me to do this work.”