Lieutenant Tara Crescenzi has always strived to be a safety net for those in need, just as the officers in her community were for her while growing up. After obtaining her bachelor’s degree in criminology from the University of South Florida, Lieutenant Crescenzi hoped to find a department that would sponsor her training while providing career benefits as soon as she started the academy. She found this opportunity through the Florida Highway Patrol (FHP). 

Once she graduated from the FHP Academy in 2014, Lieutenant Crescenzi quickly demonstrated her proficiency and rose through the ranks. She became a trooper with Troop C – Tampa District. In 2017, she put her communication skills into use as the central Florida recruiter and social media coordinator for the FHP’s Training Academy Facebook and the FHP’s recruitment Instagram pages, totaling approximately 75,000 followers. In 2020, Lieutenant Crescenzi ranked first place on the FHP’s Sergeant Promotional List; notably, she is the first woman in FHP history to achieve this feat. She was promoted to district sergeant in one of the busiest districts in the state, which includes Orlando and surrounding areas. She continues to inspire her fellow troopers as she was promoted to lieutenant upon ranking second in the 2021 Lieutenant Promotional List. She became the public affairs officer and spokesperson for Troop D. 

For her motivation and dedication to the profession, Lieutenant Crescenzi has been received the Trooper of the Month Award (Statewide), Trooper of the Month Award (Troop C), and Above and Beyond the Call of Duty Award (Statewide), among many other recognitions. 

“We are our communities’ guardians, and without us, there is no protection for those who might not be able to protect themselves.”