CLEVELAND — Anne Murphy is the first in her family to pursue a career in law enforcement.
She grew up in Akron and graduated from Revere High School. In 2003 she interned with the U.S. Marshal service in Cleveland. U.S. Marshal Pete Elliott was settling into his new role after being appointed to the position by former President George Bush.
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force had just been developed and Murphy watched first-hand how they went after the most dangerous wanted felons on the streets.
Murphy knew there weren’t many women in her field. Women make up about 10 percent of federal law enforcement. But she met Cathy Jones, then a chief in the Cleveland office. She went on to become Ohio’s first female U.S. Marshal and ran the southern district.
Jones often guided Murphy and the most important advice was patience.
“She was definitely integral with me sticking with this field and not giving up,” Murphy said.
She hasn’t spoken to Jones in sixteen years, but when we contacted the former Marshal, she wanted the chance to share a few words. As a surprise during our interview, we facetimed Jones so they could speak.
“Please know that your brothers and sisters in blue just want the best for your team and congratulations,” Jones said.
It was praise that Murphy knew wasn’t given lightly.
After graduating from college, Murphy worked for the state of Ohio as a parole officer. But kept an eye out for openings in the Marshal service.
In 2010 she was hired on and became a Deputy U.S. Marshal. She held supervisory positions in Akron and Youngstown, but when Marshal Elliott was looking for someone to run the Violent Fugitive Task Force, he didn’t have to look far.
"What I like about Annie is she puts a bib on her child at six at night, and puts a bullet proof vest on at six in the morning. She is the real deal and respected by everybody," Elliott said.
“She’s very dedicated, very driven and she has the heart of a Deputy U.S. Marshal.”
The Northern Ohio Violent Fugitive Task Force is comprised of 125 Law Enforcement Agencies. When called upon, they go after the worst of the worst. Suspects in homicides, rapes, escaped prisoners and those who’ve been on the run for years.
“We want our community to be safe so we're going to work as hard as we can to get them off the street,” she said. Adding that sometimes her job takes her away from her husband and kids 24 hours or more at a time.
Murphy is known to carry pink handcuffs, which she’s placed on many high profile suspects in her career.
The reason she carries them, “I know I’ll get them back, because nobody wants pink handcuffs,” she said.
She’s earned a stellar reputation among her colleagues
“The most simple important part of our job, that's it, they've got my back and I've got theirs,” she said.
She often spends time talking to high school students and perhaps becoming an inspiration to young women interested in law enforcement. She’s grateful for those who came before her.
“I'm very thankful for women who have paved that road and been down that road because it's not easy,” she said. Her advice to young women is the same she’d give to men, “Work as hard possible. Every single day, work just as hard as everybody else,” she said.
It’s advice she takes herself every day at work. For her this job is personal.
“This is my community, this is my family's community, you always want to be the good guy and I'm happy that I'm one of the good guys,” she said.