Nominated by the Arlington County Police Department
As a member of the Arlington County Police Department for more than 20 years, Florence Starzynski has left an indelible mark on the Arlington community — including serving as the first female lieutenant in the department.
In 1971, Starzynski and her family moved to Arlington, where — after seeing an ad in the Arlington Journal seeking female police officers — she joined the Arlington County Police Department in 1973.
Starzynski served in the department for 22 years, mainly in the patrol force and later as an administrator, while also making time for extensive volunteer work. Starzynski taught classes for the Offender Aid and Restoration program, drove patients to medical and mental health appointments, and negotiated complaints for the Better Business Bureau, among other activities.
In recognition of these accomplishments, in 1995, she was awarded the Washingtonian of the Year award. After her retirement in 1995, she has continued to be a prolific volunteer, teaching in the General Educational Development program at the D.C. jail and working as an instructor in a Money Matters course for inmates soon to be released.