Sisters woman paved way in law enforcement

Glenda Leutwyler doesn’t look like a tough police officer who could hold off a motorcycle gang. But that’s just one of the dangers she faced as she helped pave the way for women in law enforcement. Leutwyler started her career in 1974 as the first female patrol deputy to join the Washington County, Oregon, Sheriff’s Office.

She recently retired to Sisters after receiving a Distinguished Service Medal from the Portland Police Bureau.

Leutwyler is no stranger to challenges. She’s run 18 marathons including winning several gold medals in police competitions around the world, and she’s faced breast cancer.

As a little girl, her dreams were to enter law enforcement. In her first job interview, “they told me I was too idealistic.” Leutwyler said 31 years of meeting violent criminals didn’t shake that outlook, although she learned there “are a lot more gray areas.”

The early years weren’t easy. Many of her male colleagues gave her the cold shoulder but she understood why. In Washington County, cover could be more than a half hour away and the men didn’t think they could count on her. Leutwyler says the first time she jumped into a fight, her male partner acted surprised.

“Fear helps with self-preservation but it doesn’t interfere with doing your job,” said Leutwyler.

One fellow officer wouldn’t even talk to her.

But soon he saw she could do the job. Professional respect grew into friendship, then love.

Today her husband, Chuck Leutwyler, has high praise for her accomplishments.

One of Leutwyler’s scariest moments came when she ticketed a motorcycle rider for going 86 mph in a 40 mph zone.

As she talked with the speeder, 20 motorcycle gang members pulled behind Leutwyler threatening her, talking about their concealed weapons and calling her “stupid” for what she was doing.

She stood her ground and wrote the ticket.

In 1980, Leutwyler moved on to the Portland Police Bureau. She was promoted to detective and investigated sex crimes.

Then she moved up to polygraph examiner.

“You really need to have good interviewing skills,” said Leutwyler of that position. She learned on that job that “your gut feeling isn’t always right.”

For example, Leutwyler said people may assume that a suspect with poor eye contact is lying but, instead, they may simply be scared.

Some of Leutwyler’s most rewarding cases occurred when child abuse suspects confessed, saving the young victims from going through a trial.

At Leutwyler’s retirement ceremony last month, she was surprised when she was presented with a Distinguished Service Medal.

She called it “a humbling experience.”

Portland Police Chief Derrick Foxworth praised her excellence as a polygrapher, adding that her skills helped remove dangerous felons from the community.

Leutwyler said women are now well represented in most areas of law enforcement except SWAT teams.

“Women are accepted a lot more today,” said Leutwyler.

Last fall, she faced another challenge just as she prepared to retire.

A routine mammogram showed she had breast cancer. Leutwyler went through chemotherapy yet didn’t miss any work.

“If it does happen, try to keep your life as normal as possible,” she said.

After treatment, her “prognosis is good.”

Leutwyler had many well-wishers sending her colorful blooms through her therapy.

“I’ve never delivered more flowers to any house in Sisters!” said the owner of Three Sisters Floral, Ruth Raizen.

As Raizen got to know Leutwyler by the frequent deliveries, she made sure Leutwyler had flowers on her doorstep to greet her every time she came home from chemotherapy.

“Now that’s the spirit of this town,” said Leutwyler.

Leutwyler has commuted for the last year-and-a-half between Portland and Sisters where her husband had already retired.

Now she’s looking forward to staying home, enjoying the beauty surrounding Sisters, doing volunteer work and getting back into running.

Not shy to challenges, she’s got her eye on the Just Around the Bend Marathon this coming October.