Video: MSU Police Sergeant Is Profiled

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STARKVILLE, Miss.(WCBI)–The day of the active shooter scare at MSU Starkville, among the members of law enforcement, a gun toting female pumped and ready to serve and protect. A picture taken of her in heels that day went viral via social media. Many began wondering who she was. The officer apparently has a lengthy resume.

A book in the office belonging to MSU Police Sergeant Virginia Rich entitled The Little Engine That Could, somehow sums up her philosophy of law enforcement.

“Originally I you know wanted to be a firefighter, always. You know firefighters use to come through our community. I liked the teamwork, I was like wow I want to do that,” said Sergeant Virginia Rich/MSU Police Department.

Didn’t bother her that there were only men at the Starkville Fire Department, Rich was bent on being the first female to join that family of first responders.

“In Starkville I was the firefighter and an EMT as well when I worked as EMT-Emergency Medical Technician for Oktibbeha County Hospital,” said Virginia Rich.

From there the brave woman changed her uniform to that of a police officer with the Starkville Police Department. And for the last 15 years Rich has been serving and making changes on the MSU campus as a police officer.

“I use to be on patrol, patrol supervisor, but now currently I’m the accreditation manager, we are a nationally accredited agency,” said Virginia Rich.

“MSU has sent her to several classes sponsored through The Federal Department of Emergency management. Those classes were all put on in Washington D. C.,” said Chief Vance Rice/MSU Police Department.

Scuba diving, running, and reading are among her hobbies, but she always finds time to teach self defense classes and field training classes for fellow officers.

“Of course someone along the way, I was being told that you know perhaps you shouldn’t or you can’t but that wasn’t in my vocabulary. Like I said growing up I was always told you can be do or have whatever it is that you know want. And that’s what I wanted to do so I did it,” said Virginia Rich.

Oh yes, a humble professional, Rich is quick to mention the time she received an award for saving the life of someone while doing her routine job as an MSU cop.