Originally from Wisconsin Dells, Christel Boeck had a career in Arizona with the Phoenix Police Department for 21 years, where the majority of her tenure was spent in training. Upon retirement, she spent two years in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and five years in China. Currently, Christel is the Training Coordinator for the Madison Police Department.
While living in the UAE, Christel volunteered at the Filipino Workers Resource Center, where she taught English and life skills. Women from other countries came to the UAE for employment, and those opportunities sometimes turned into tragedy for workers. "Many female employees were abused, malnourished, and deprived of their passports." Christel explained that volunteers assisted in obtaining new passports and airline tickets for the women to return to their home country. "Since the women could not walk freely, we focused on increasing their knowledge and confidence."
Christel then lived in Dali, a village in China, where she taught English in homes and schools. "It was a phenomenal opportunity to immerse myself in their culture. The kids loved to touch my blonde hair, and laughed at my efforts of learning Chinese." Since the community had never tasted chocolate chip cookies, salsa or lasagna, many sought Christel's American dishes. Two of Christel's most memorable moments were holding a panda bear, and hiking the Great Wall.
After leaving China, Christel returned back to WI to care for her dad. After his health improved, she decided to get back in the work force. When asked about her favorite part of the job, she said, "the Training team and the entire MPD family. I am truly honored to be a part of it."
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