August, 2017
Police Officer Princess Davis has been a member of the Cincinnati Police Department since February 1993. She has devoted her career to the communities she serves, as a neighborhood liaison officer, and as a recognized advocate for victims of domestic violence, senior citizens, and Cincinnati’s youth. Her current assignment as the department's Citizens on Patrol Coordinator has proven her most exciting and challenging endeavor as she focuses on increasing community membership and promoting stakeholder involvement in Cincinnati neighborhoods.
Officer Davis has been recognized by colleagues and citizens alike for her positive, willing attitude, sound judgment, a generosity of spirit, and a determination to make a positive impact every day on those she encounters. She has consistently endeavored to build relationships with citizens that encourage their participation in community-based efforts to fight crime and address quality of life issues within their neighborhoods. She has rolled up her sleeves on many occasions, working effectively alongside citizens to address community concerns ranging from litter, illegal dumping, and junk cars to drug sales and drug-related felonious assaults, robberies, and prostitution. Officer Davis maintains the respect of those she encounters each day because she firmly believes that policing is more than enforcing the law – it’s also about building community awareness, participation, ownership and greater focus toward problem-solving solutions.
Officer Davis is both a mother and grandmother, and she has a passion for the young adults she encounters, many of whom have benefited from their relationship with her. She has worked with communities to design strategies that would keep unsupervised teens off the streets and involved in programs currently offered by existing non-profit organizations. These at-risk juveniles are targeted and enticed to engage in criminal behavior and become prey to gang activity and drug trafficking. For many, Officer Davis offers the closest thing to parental authority they have had, and they know that she will not give up on any one of them. She has demonstrated her hands-on commitment to helping our young people succeed by participating in many after school and summer initiatives, including the DARE program and Community Police Outreach Festivals. She has referred children to the Every Child Succeeds program and has participated in the Citizens Committee on Youth, Cincinnati Youth Collaborative and the Greater Cincinnati Police Athletic Association. She has also been a driving force behind “Santa Cop” – a role that she relishes each December – and participates annually in the “Shop-With-A-COP” program.
It is not only the youth who have benefited from Officer Davis’s commitment and service to her community, but senior citizen residents as well. Officer Davis has worked with Pro Seniors to assist with the welfare and location of wandering elderly, and she has worked with Saint Vincent DePaul and the Free Store Food Bank to locate air conditioners and fans for the elderly and disabled. She has arranged and escorted area senior citizens to “Seniors Movie Day” at local theaters, and assisted with various senior-focused programs through Saint Vincent DePaul, Saint John Social Services, Free Store Food Bank, Council on Aging and TRIAD.
Officer Davis has earned numerous awards and appointments as a Cincinnati Police Officer, largely for being an exceptional role model. The 19th Century Russian Author Anne-Sophie Swetchine eloquently stated that there is a transcendent power in example: “We reform others unconsciously when we walk uprightly.” Police Officer Princess Davis is not recognized for any one shining achievement, but rather for inspiring others in our community to shine each day by the example she provides.