Anne Fitzsimmons Promoted to Chief of Police. She is the First Female Police Chief in White Plains.
Assistant Chief Anne Fitzsimmons, of the White Plains, New York, Department of Public Safety, has been a police officer for 36 years. Anne began her service in the Patrol Division, as one of the first females to be assigned to regular patrol duties. In 1984, she began her assignment in the Youth Unit and was primarily involved in investigations involving children, sex crimes and domestic violence. In 1987, she was promoted to sergeant and was responsible for supervising criminal investigators. She remained in this position until 1997 at which time she was promoted to Lieutenant – Executive Officer of Criminal Investigations. In 2001, Anne was the first female to achieve the rank of Captain in the White Plains Police Department. As a police captain she experienced several different commands: Administration, Training and Community Policing. In 2006, Anne was promoted to Assistant Chief and is currently responsible for Administration, Training, Data Management, and Community Policing.
As the Commanding Officer of the Community Policing Division, Anne has supervised police officers who use innovative community policing strategies and technology to reduce crime. She is especially proud of developing the White Plains Police Department’s response to domestic violence The development of successful strategies to reduce domestic violence by working in partnership with various service providers, in particular the Pace Women’s Justice Center, in the White Plains community has increased the safety of citizens in their homes.
Anne is a graduate of Pace University, has attended various professional schools, and received a Masters in Public Administration from Marist College. Some of the awards and recognition which Anne has received include:
1985 International Association of Women Police – Merit Award, 1985 Westchester County American Legion Auxiliary Police Award – Outstanding Service to the Community, 1991 Police Officer of the Year – White Plains Exchange Club, 2002 Pace Women’s Justice Center – Certification of Appreciation – Project DETER, 2005 City of White Plains Commission on Human Rights – Distinguished Service Award, 2006 chosen as one of Westchester County’s Wise, Wonderful Women, 2007 YWCA of White Plains – Government and Public Service Award, 2007 White Plains Corps of the Salvation Army – Community Service, 2010 Westchester – Rockland Guardians Association – Community Service, and the Respect for Law Alliance 2012 Law Enforcement Leadership Eagle Award.
She is married to John FitzSimmons, who was also a police officer, and has two children – John, a White Plains Police Officer and Mary Kate, who is an Ensign in the United States Navy and currently a Naval Aviation Student. Anne is also one of the founding members of New York Women in Law Enforcement and served as the organization’s first vice president, she remains on the organization’s Board of Directors.
