Folly's new officer says gender an edge

Female officers can have an advantage over their male colleagues, according to Mary Bowman, Folly Beach's newest public safety officer.

"When males encounter another male (officer), they're in combat mode," said Bowman, who has worked in law enforcement for 29 years. "When males encounter a female, they're not like that. I've had less problems with males."

Being a female officer also can be helpful when dealing with underage drinking violators, Bowman said.

Jenny Peterson
The Journal

Mary Bowman is the newest public safety officer on Folly Beach and also the only woman patrolling the island.

Diane Rutledge, Folly Beach victim's advocate, agrees.

"It's like Mom showed up," Rutledge said.

Bowman is the only female public safety officer on Folly Beach, and the first female to be hired in the department, at least in recent memory. She started March 31.

"We haven't had many females apply," Public Safety Director Terry Boatwright said.

The West Ashley resident and Charleston native said she's always wanted to work in law enforcement. She majored in political science and pre-law at Wilberforce University in Ohio and then transferred to Long Island University in Brooklyn, N.Y., from where she graduated.

Since 1984, she has worked in a number of law-enforcement positions around South Carolina, including nine years as a deputy with the Charleston County Sheriff's Office and eight years as an officer with the North Charleston Police Department. She also has experience working with juvenile offenders.

Bowman said she applied to work on Folly Beach because it was time for a change. She added that she enjoys coming to Folly Beach with her niece, who's a beach lover.

"We visit any beach we can find," Bowman said.

She spends her days on duty patrolling the island by car and foot, meeting locals and responding to calls. From a law-enforcement standpoint, Folly Beach is slower than North Charleston, Bowman said.

"It's more family-oriented; you get to know people on a personal basis," Bowman said. "North Charleston has a lot more serious crimes."

The four major law-enforcement issues on Folly Beach are "drunks, domestics, drugs and (people who are) deranged," Bowman said. "The four D's."

She noted that there hasn't been a homicide on Folly Beach in close to 20 years.

Bowman said she gets lots of attention from both fellow officers and locals as the only female officer on the beach.

"Riding and walking around, people introduce themselves and say, 'So, you're Mary!' " Bowman said. "I'm the new cop on the block."

Bowman said she prides herself in treating people with respect.

"My motto is if you treat people with dignity and respect, you'll get that out of them (in return)."

Boatwright said Bowman's experience in law enforcement was the reason she was hired for the position.

"She brings a significant level of experience," he said. "She's highly qualified."

Bowman will take classes in fire and emergency response, which is required of all the public safety officers.

She said she feels like part of the Folly Beach Public Safety Department team, but doesn't consider herself "one of the boys."

"I may be an officer, but I'm all female," she said.