For Victoria Johnson, becoming a police officer wasn’t a sudden career decision. It was a goal that had been developing for years shaped by her education, her experiences at UPMC, and the mentors who encouraged her to keep moving forward.
Today, Victoria serves as a senior police officer at UPMC Presbyterian, but her journey with UPMC began several years earlier as a security officer.
Victoria began her UPMC journey in January 2022 as a security officer at UPMC Montefiore. With a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a master’s degree in criminology, she was looking for an opportunity to build her experience and grow within the field.
“I thought it would be a great way to grow my knowledge,” Victoria said.
She quickly found support from managers, lieutenants, and captains who encouraged her to continue pursuing her career goals. That support became an important part of her journey.
A Detour That Brought Her Back
Later in 2022, Victoria temporarily left UPMC after receiving an opportunity with the FBI — something she had dreamed about since college.
“I had gotten an offer from the FBI, and my leader from UPMC told me I’d be stupid not to take it,” she said.
Victoria accepted the opportunity and spent the next few years working there. Eventually, however, she realized the position wasn’t the right fit for the life and career she wanted.
When she moved back to Pittsburgh, she knew exactly where she wanted to return.
“I called up my old manager and said, ‘Hey, any chance you’re still hiring? I would love to come back,’” Victoria recalled.
Fortunately, the answer was yes.
Victoria returned to UPMC Montefiore, where she once again found herself surrounded by managers, lieutenants, and captains who encouraged her professional growth.
After returning to UPMC, Victoria took on additional responsibilities as a shift lead. In 2025, an opportunity to participate in UPMC’s police academy sponsorship program reignited her goal of becoming a police officer.
The six-month academy was demanding, both physically and academically. About four weeks into training, Johnson broke her hip during a jiu-jitsu exercise, part of the academy’s defensive tactics training. She underwent emergency surgery and had three screws placed in her hip.
The next day, she returned to the academy.
“My instructors thought it was crazy,” Victoria said. “They were like, ‘Most people would have dropped out at that point, but you really want this.’ And I was like, ‘Yes, I do.’”
“It Feels Like I’ve Really Accomplished That”
After completing the academy and officially transitioning into her role as a police officer, Victoria described the feeling as something she had been working toward for a long time.
“Kind of like I’ve made it,” she said. “This is something that I wanted for a very long time.”
One of the biggest accomplishments, she said, was simply proving to herself that she could meet the physical standards required of the job.
To enter the police academy, Victoria had to pass a physical fitness test with demanding standards. She also had to meet those standards again at the end of the academy.
“While I consider myself fit, the standard is pretty high,” she said. “I never thought that I would pass that standard and get in, let alone pass the standard again to get back out.”
Completing both tests made the accomplishment even more meaningful.
Today, Victoria serves as a senior police officer at UPMC Presbyterian. She credits the mentors and leaders around her for helping make that accomplishment possible. “My managers were wonderful,” she said. “Having these great lieutenants and great captains who were all willing to pour in just really helped me grow.”
Her advice to other UPMC employees interested in advancing their careers is simple: learn as much as you can and seek out people who are already doing the work.
Serving the UPMC Community
For Victoria, being a police officer at a hospital is about more than security — it’s about compassion.
“This is, first and foremost, a place for healing and a place for recovery,” she said.
“We want to reflect that in our work. I believe in a whole community. If we’re just doing a job, we’re really losing sight of everything that the community put back into you.”
Whether interacting with a patient, visitor, or colleague, Victoria believes every person deserves to be treated with compassion and respect.
“Patients might be having the worst day of their life, and you have to acknowledge that,” she said. “Visitors, too — again, their loved one is sick, possibly dying. You have to accommodate that, and you have to treat that with compassion and respect.”
For Victoria, protecting the UPMC community means not only keeping people safe, but understanding the people she serves.
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