D.C. METROPOLITAN POLICE DEPARTMENT
Eileen Gyasi-Twum

A Ph.D. student from Strayer University in Washington, D.C., Eileen Gyasi-Twum earned her Masters degree in business administration from American University located in Washington, D.C., and a Bachelor’s degree with a specialty in personnel and labor relations from Washington Saturday College. At Howard University in Washington, D.C., she is studying religion for a doctorate of ministry. Eileen was working in human resources for Montgomery County government, in the office of services coordinator; when she applied to the Washington Internship Program in mid March 2006. Previously, Eileen was employed by Wolpoff and Abramson, LLP, Attorneys in the Practice of National Debt Collection, located in Rockville, Maryland. Eileen also taught human resources at Howard University. She speaks a number of African dialects as well as Spanish and French. She won Montgomery County’s Best Honor Award for Customer Service; the Department of Finance Award for implementation of Montgomery County Human Resources Management System, and a Certificate of Appreciation from the Society of Human Resources Management Learning Systems. Eileen traveled widely in Africa and Europe, and she is currently a professor at Howard University’s Saturday School. In less than a month, the Washington Internship Program placed Eileen in the human resources department of the D.C. Metropolitan Police Force where she was originally offered a high salary that was unfortunately withdrawn when a person with seniority applied from within the police department. Eileen began working in mid May while living at home in Adelphi, Maryland. Her account of the experience follows: 

“My internship with the D.C. Metropolitan Police Department started on May 15, 2006 and lasted for the entire summer. The headquarters where I went each day is located at 300 Indiana Avenue, N.W., and my supervisor was the deputy director of the human services division of the MPD.  A warm and friendly individual, she introduced me to the other staff and has been a great mentor for me.  I respect and admire her work ethic. My work assignments included: drafting letters on various personnel issues to be signed by the assistant chief of police; writing disciplinary decisions, agency statements, and responses to discrimination complaints by MPD employees for the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission; creating manuals; and preparing a PowerPoint presentation. I made files and collected surveys from all summer interns at the police department, and then I evaluated and wrote a report for the assistant chief of police. I also assisted in planning and executing a retirement ceremony. I conducted a classification and compensation study for presentation to department heads, and I was accompanied by my supervisor when presenting these findings. I attended a panel discussion of captains and lieutenants where a claims-specialist interview was held. I also participated in an exciting ride-along with the harbor patrol in a boat on the Potomac River.”

“I benefited greatly from this internship because I had an opportunity to improve my analytical, research, and writing skills while developing my expertise in human-resource management. After my internship ended, I became a volunteer with the Metropolitan Police Department in order to develop more contacts and apply for new positions as they became available.”

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