In 1983, only a handful of women worked for the New York Police Department, the largest police department in the entire country.

One of those women is Theresa Tobin, a UAlbany grad who broke barriers, becoming one of the highest-ranking members of the NYPD.

Tobin comes from a family of law enforcement. Three of her four siblings also became officers, and the fourth married one. They all looked up to their father, who was a police officer.

Tobin was also one of the first on scene when the first plane hit the World Trade Center on 9/11. The second tower was hit minutes later. The powerful impact threw Tobin across the street. She still remembers hearing the screams.

She was severely injured when a piece of concrete hit her Kevlar helmet and a shard of glass got lodged in her back.

Tobin, a lieutenant at that time, could have retired with nearly 20 years of service, but she felt empowered to carry on.

Learn about her incredible journey and what she said makes women unique in law enforcement by watching the video of Subrina Dhammi’s story.