The 42-year-old, a 16-year veteran of the department, said she applied for the supervisor position last year because it was a good career move after working several years on patrol.
“I love, love, love patrol, but I couldn’t pass this opportunity,” she said. “I have the opportunity to supervise a lot of units and learn a lot of things,” she said. “Deal with a variety of situations.”
As sergeant, Ysit is also the first female to hold such a rank in the traffic unit. She is responsible for overseeing a team of about 10 officers from the School Resource and Neighborhood Resource units and Volunteers in Police Service.
“I understand I’m unique, but I spent my whole career making sure my successes had nothing to do with my gender,” she said. “I’m unique, but it’s silly. I’m just another cop.”
Tracy Police Chief Gary Hampton said he never considered her gender when she was appointed to the position.
“She is a very wise and experienced sergeant that happens to be a female,” he said. “She is a seasoned officer that has developed into a very wise and skilled supervisor, and this is a special assignment for four years. She was a natural fit.”
What truly makes her promotion to traffic
different is that Ysit had little experience riding a motorcycle, other than a bit of dirt bike riding.
In fact, she said she banned motorcycles from her own home when her husband, Mario, a former Tracy officer, was seriously injured while riding his personal motorcycle in 2009.
On March 11, Ysit completed the two-week motorcycle school held by the Alameda County Sheriff’s Office. She completed the course with her husband.
Mario Ysit took the course to become certified for the Ripon Police Department, she said.
The pass-or-fail school teaches officers from Northern California different riding techniques, such as pulling into traffic and making u-turns both uphill and downhill.
“You’re constantly looking and doing ‘what ifs’ while riding down the road,” Ysit said. “However, compared to day one, I’m doing a lot better. I like it.”
She has “a lot of scrapes and bruises” from the school but is excited about the challenges of mastering her motorcycle.
Before attending the school, Ysit spent time training daily with Tracy motorcycle officers.
“They were awesome,” she said. “They’re really good riders themselves, and I couldn’t have passed the school without their help.”
Ysit will adjust to her work bike before considering a weekend cruiser.
• Contact Denise Ellen Rizzo at 835-3030 or drizzo@tracypress.com.
I'll bet you don't risk your life every day, so some ignorant in-bread moron with a computer can talk crap about you.
Hey beep beep, are my fries done yet? Sorry, anyone that works fast food, beep beep, probably wouldn't be able to work a deep fryer.
Based on her inexperience riding, let's hope she doesn't have to chase down any bad guys in something other than a straight line, and without heavy traffic. Passing a 2 week course does not make someone an expert or even experienced bike rider.
Maybe it's because intelligent women who work their backsides off and don't play the victim card get ahead in life just like their male counterparts who do the same. Hmmm.
Great job Sgt. Ysit, you are someone all of us can look up to as an example of what can be accomplished through hard work and dedication, maybe others, hint, hint, can learn from your example.