Over 50 years ago, Alice Faison made Ocala history when she became the first African American woman to be hired at the Ocala Police Department.
In 1969, Faison was hired by Chief Alverez and kicked off her law enforcement career in the records section. She was OPD’s first Black female employee, and her formal title was Identification Clerk.
According to OPD, Faison handled various tasks such as record filing and fingerprint classification. Shortly after joining the department, Chief Alverez offered her a new opportunity to become a police officer, and she gladly accepted it.
During her time as an OPD officer, Faison patrolled the streets, worked car crashes, participated in crime prevention activities, and even went undercover. Throughout her tenure, she earned multiple commendations for her exemplary work.
In 1986, she retired from OPD after sustaining an injury from an off-duty car accident.
On February 1, 2023, the Ocala Police Department invited Faison back to OPD headquarters for a special ceremony commemorating her contributions to the community and police department that she proudly served.
“Wearing this hat, I wore it with respect,” stated Faison during the ceremony. “I wore this hat with respect. And let me tell you, it was hard some days and some days it wasn’t.”
While she may be retired from law enforcement, Faison still continues to serve the local community. She runs a ministry, Sisterhood & Brotherhood Outreach, which provides resources to those who are in need.
“During Black History Month and beyond, we celebrate and honor Alice Faison for her remarkable accomplishment of becoming OPD’s first African American female employee and police officer,” stated the Ocala Police Department in a social media post. “Thank you, Ms. Faison, for your dedicated service to the City of Ocala.”