TPA’s newest police officer is following her dreams to success

From the first day Samantha Henley set foot in Tampa International Airport, she knew that one day, she wanted to become an Airport Police Officer. The Michigan native first moved to Florida in 2015, and thought she’d take a job as a TSA agent. But after learning the position she was applying for was only part-time, Henley says she stumbled upon a job fair at the Airport that was coincidentally the same day. She decided to stop by, which turned out to be a life-changing move.

Sparking a dream 

At the Tampa International Airport Job Fair, Henley stopped by a table for TPA’s Traffic Department which was looking to recruit employees to patrol the Airport’s busy arrivals and departures drives. While it wasn’t the job she first envisioned, she knew working at the Airport could be the beginning of a new career and a stable, full-time job with the benefits she was looking for. The traffic supervisors also informed Henley that the position could even be a stepping stone to a career with the Airport’s Police Department, a job she instantly knew she wanted to pursue. 

A long and winding adventure 

Henley was officially hired as a Traffic Specialist at Tampa International Airport in 2019. The position vitally ensures cars don’t get backed up in the pick-up and drop-off areas and falls under the authority of Police Chief Charlie Vazquez and the Airport’s Public Safety department. Henley’s warm smile and genuine love for helping passengers instantly made her popular among her coworkers and supervisors, who knew she had big dreams of becoming a police officer one day. 

But in late 2021, Henley – who was also a member of the Army National Guard -- was suddenly deployed to the U.S.-Mexico Border to serve as part of the Southwest Border Mission. It was a fateful assignment that would again have a lasting impact on Samantha’s life and career. 
 

In the middle of nowhere 

Henley joined the Army National Guard because she loved helping people. Typical deployments are in disaster areas to help after a hurricane or flooding and usually last no longer than six to nine months. But on the border, Henley quickly found out her deployment would last much longer: 13 months in the middle of nowhere. Her team’s mission was to serve as an extra set of eyes on the border and to report illegal crossings to the U.S. Border Patrol. 

“Where we were put, there was no other civilization around,” said Henley. “There was a McDonald’s about 45 minutes away in the nearest little town, but that was about it. The closest Walmart was an hour and a half.” 

Living in the middle of the New Mexico desert meant there wasn’t always much to do. 

“In our off time, we were so bored,” recalls Henley. “All we could do is cook for ourselves because we had nowhere to go.” 

Luckily there was a gym, and Henley began spending more and more time pumping iron. In the past, she'd considered competing as a bodybuilder but never thought she had the right body type.

But now, with extra time and extra income from so few places to spend her money, she decided to hire an online coach and give her long-forgotten bodybuilding dream a shot. If she didn’t enjoy it after six months, she could quit, she reasoned. 

Not only did Henley fall in love with bodybuilding, but her coach told her she was making unbelievable progress. The new hobby helped the next months pass by quickly, and she felt great.

“It really puts a new perspective on how you look at health and food and the decisions you make,” said Henley. 

Transformation revealed 

Henley returned to Tampa when the deployment ended and rejoined her traffic team at the Airport. Her coworkers couldn’t believe the transformation.

Henley was now a bodybuilding competitor, winning her class in her very first show in May of 2023. That first win qualified her to compete on the national level, and just a month later in June, she won at a second show as well. Just about a year after beginning her bodybuilding journey, Henley was now set to compete in Las Vegas against some of the best bodybuilders in America. 

Working hard, achieving dreams 

While Henley didn’t win in Las Vegas, her first national event was a huge learning experience. It would give her the confidence to continue her training and to get ready for a second season of competition, all while completing the necessary coursework to become a sworn police officer in Florida.

Henley graduated from the Police Academy, a year later than expected due to her National Guard deployment. She was officially sworn in as one of Tampa International Airport’s newest police officers in April after graduating from the academy and passing the state exam in late January. 

She will now spend the next months working alongside a training officer while continuing her bodybuilding training in the gym. Her next show will be held June 29 in St. Pete, and this time, Henley says she’ll be competing in the figure category. 

She says one of her favorite parts of bodybuilding is the positive feedback she receives from coworkers. 

“People always ask me for fitness advice,” said Henley. “People I don’t even talk to tell me I’ve inspired them to go to the gym!” 

While she realizes her new look can sometimes be intimidating to some, she encourages people to come up and say hello. 

“Actually I’m really nice,” she said with her trademark smile. 

While it was a winding road to get here, Henley said it was worth it to be where she is today. 

“It’s a good feeling because I know it’s been a long time coming.”