Tightrope author, retired Deputy Chief Constable Jennifer Hyland, was explaining why she wrote her account of 26 years in law enforcement.
“I was inspired to write it, not only as a reference for my kids so that they could come to understand a little bit of what growing up in a police officer household was like and why,” Hyland explained, “but also because over the years I had people share with me that my ability to share my story and my experiences, as a senior leader in policing, was very helpful to them as police officers and first responders.
Those on the front lines, she discovered “often looked at senior leaders as people who never struggled, didn’t have any problems, was never bothered by the job.”
As Hyland’s book recounts, that is not the case.
“And being silent and closed off about that is problematic for people.”
Hyland was being interviewed at her first author’s signing at Indigo in Langley on Sunday, Feb. 15.
First book signing for "Tightrope" authored by Maple Ridge's retired Deputy Chief Constable Jennifer Hyland pic.twitter.com/lDdLJOMXxi
— Langley Advance Times (@LangleyTimes) February 17, 2026
On the cover of Tightrope is an image of a police badge, suspended by a frayed, close-to-snapping rope to illustrate Hyland’s account of a career spanning three organizations, New Westminster Police, RCMP and the Surrey Police Service.
On the back of the book, a short biography relates how, “diagnosed with PTSD and multiple sclerosis, Hyland came face-to-face with her breaking point-and chose not to shatter. Instead, she found a way forward that honoured both the work and her humanity.”
Hyland rose to the rank of Superintendent, becoming the officer in charge of the Ridge Meadows detachment in 2017, then joined the Surrey Police Service in January 2021 as the first Deputy Chief Constable.
Tightrope, an account of her experiences, of themes in police work, leadership, and parenting is her first book.
“My hope for anybody who decides to read Tightrope is that regardless of the kind of work or profession or what you have going on in your life that there will be something that connects to you personally, that there’ll be something that resonates for you,” she said.
“I hope that at a certain point in the book you find yourself feeling a sense of peace and if you do need to work through some issues I hope that the book gives you encouragement to take the steps that you need to take.”
Her next book signing is scheduled for March 7, from noon to 3 p.m. at Chapters Coquitlam.