Nun With The Gun Retires!

Dear Citizens of Lake Helen,

I regret to inform you of the retirement of one of our most cherished police officers, Anna Haskins. Officer Haskins’ last day, as a fulltime Lake Helen Police Officer, was July 10th, 2002. The community will miss her strength and integrity.

I first met Anna Haskins many years ago when she asked permission to ride along with me on patrol. As we patrolled the streets, Anna gave me a brief history of her life. Born in Key West, she was raised with five siblings. Anna attended her school years in Key West, and then moved away after graduation with the decision to become a nun. Anna’s journey as a nun took her many places including New York, Hawaii, Washington DC, and all over the State of Florida.

She served in the Catholic Educational system for over thirty-eight years, both as a teacher and principal. Many years ago Anna was faced with, and overcame, a bout with life threatening cancer. This was one determined lady.

As we traveled around town, Anna continued her story. She said she had always dreamed of becoming a police officer. I replied “what is stopping you” and she countered “I am too old”. It was obvious to me, however, that this 5’2' 135 lb. bundle of energy had a lot to offer society. I knew that with her background and worldly knowledge she would make an exceptional addition to any police force. I told her what I thought.

Anna contemplated my advice and then followed her dream of becoming a police officer and enrolled in the Police Academy at Daytona Beach Community College. Just as I thought, she did not let the challenges of running several miles a day or the grueling rigors of the self-defense training stand in her way. She graduated from the Police Academy in 1998. A short time later, Anna retired from St. Peters Catholic School in DeLand, where she had been teaching, and started work at the Lake Helen Police Department as a volunteer police officer. In 2000, she was hired as a fulltime police officer. After being hired fulltime, word got out to the local new papers that Officer Haskins had previously been a nun. The word spread to local news papers, to local television stations, and onto media outlets both national and international. For approximately one month, our new officer was inundated with calls from every media outlet thinkable, requesting interviews with ‘Officer Haskins’ now titled, by the media, as “THE NUN WITH THE GUN”.

Several live national television interviews were conducted at the Lake Helen Police Department. Anna was even flown to New York and California to appear on national television programs. Probably, her most notable appearance was when she was featured as a contestant on the television program ‘To Tell The Truth’. That program has been re-aired many times since her original appearance.

As with everything else she has done in her life, Anna has served this community well. She worked the road as a Patrol Officer, taught the ‘Character Counts Program’ for our department at the Volusia Pine’s Elementary School, organized the Bicycle Safety Fairs, and headed up the department’s Police Officers’ Retirement Board. Officer Anna Haskins has always been available when called upon to help others. We hope that after a SHORT time away, on a much deserved vacation, Anna will, once again, wear the uniform of a Lake Helen Police Officer and continue to serve as a volunteer with our department and the community of Lake Helen.

It has been a pleasure working with Anna. She will be missed while she is away. Hurry back, Anna Haskins!

Sincerely, Keith L. Chester
Lake Helen Chief of Police