Serena is sarcastic and witty, and knows how to break the ice. She has tough shell and can hang with the fellas. She's extremely blunt, and generally expects the same in return, but she's frank enough to clear a table in record time. Serena is always up to the task whatever it is, and has a real chip on her shoulder when it comes to people telling her that she can't do something. Extremely persistent, often to a point that it becomes unbearable. She is very persuasive, and knows how to get what she wants. A real "go getter".
She had gotten a mortgage on a small home in the outlying suburbs of LA after she joined SWAT in Los Angeles. It is rather bare and she lacks in the decorative department. Her refrigerator is also mostly barren, save for an ever-present large jar of pickle spears, mayonnaise, and sixer or twelve pack of domestic beer, and the occasional pack of eggs. No less than two or three takeout containers that she will never eat. Freezer is mostly TV dinners, lots of Marie Calendar's and Bob Evan's, freezer burned bags of broccoli and tin foil packs of hamburger meat marked with only the best intentions. Usually A 5th of tequila shoved towards the back. In the cabinets there were saltines and several boxes of Hamburger Helper and a few cans of tuna. She also just started making payments on a black 2018 Dodge Charger with two fat red racing stripes. Figured she'd learn to work on it some, kind of like a side project. She hasn't done much with it yet, and probably wont be messing with it any time soon, but she did buy the extensive owner's manual holding down her cocktail table along with a few spent beer bottles.
Her social life is sparse, save for one night stands. There's only one friend whom she sees regularly outside of her unit, and that's because she's probably the only one who is shit-baggy enough to put up with her shit.. When she isn't being a total recluse in front of the TV or at the gym she can usually be found with her friend Cindy Chavez, taking full advantage of low effort night life bliss, usually some dive bar shithole dotting a street corner, with cheap drinks, and even cheaper men and women. Guess it made them both feel better about their selves in some form or other. They both seemed to suffer from the same social afflictions in the relationship department, so you know what they say, "birds of a feather". She spends a lot of time at the gym, perhaps more than her unit peers do. She does kickboxing regularly, and has a Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu class that she has enrolled in locally. She is active and works hard to stay fit for her unit, and also to maintain the shape of her ass..

Serena grew up in LA with her parents and her older brother, and a younger sister. Her brother, Alphonso was nine years older than her, and her sister Elena was two years younger. Her family life was often disrupted by gang activity. Her brother was constantly getting into trouble with the law, stealing cars and doing various other things like that. Several members of her family were involved with the Surenos gang, and it caused their lives to be anything but normal. Her older brother and two uncles would later be faced with hard murder charges in 1999, and her brother and eldest uncle were both sentenced to life in prison. Her brother will be eligible for parole in 2025. Serena made it a point then to be nothing like them and showed a strong interest in pursuing a career in law enforcement. She was well accustomed to seeing them at her home by the time she got out of high school.

She immediately enrolled in college at California State in Dominguez Hills the following year in 2007. She obtained her Bachelors' degree-Criminal Justice Administration, majoring in Criminology, and more specifically in gangs and adolescent subcultures in 2011. She finished these studies at the top of her class and excelled notably in the Gang related course studies. She then went on to complete the LAPD Academy the very next year in 2012. 840 grueling hours of intense training and conditioning. It was all intensive and strenuous but Serena managed to persevere and push on. She was described as "tough as nails, that girl.." by nearly all the instructors. They gave her a hard time because they all knew that she definitely had it in her. That "Who told you you could be a cop" (Video link) type rhetoric, but she always took it standing up.



Not wanting to stop there she applied for the LAPD SWAT Unit (Special Weapons and Tactics)in 2017 after she spent five years with the gang task force in the LAPD. she did a lot for the task force in a short amount of time, and was recognized several times during these years. After applying, Serena underwent several tests during the selection process, totaling in nineteen weeks of hard training. She had to pass a rigorous physical fitness test and psychological evaluation, plus a firearms test to demonstrate her proficiency in firearm usage and knowledge of weapon mechanics. She was also interviewed by a review board several times, and underwent an extensive background check. It was obvious that her family's impact was her driving motivation and they deemed her an acceptable candidate. Her degree and specialized major were merited her as being a useful candidate who should be utilized. Her minors in Psychology were also noted as well as her being bilingual, and this would make her suitable for Negotiations. During her interview they asked her "Are you comfortable with this? Do you think you can handle this?" to which she replied "Absolutely. I’m doing it.”, they recalled. She even managed to do the hundred yard dummy pull in good time, and it was comparable to few of her male counterparts. "She's small but she packs a lotta heat.",
Since then her peers and unit members have gotten used to having a woman on the team, and said that she was often good to keep around. Her approaches to solving problems were "very unorthodox", but she sure knows how to think outside the box. She is a quick thinker and dedicated to the job, and she's "not afraid of trying something new". She is definitely determined to do whatever it takes to be there, that was for certain. "A real firecracker, that one. Don't let that smile fool ya." Unlike previous attempts for females to be incorporated into these roles Serena is generally accepted and thought fairly high of by her peers, deeming her to be an adequate asset and not just a pretty smile. She always pulls her weight and goes the extra mile. She'd stick her neck out for anybody on the unit.

Serena's family life has been marred greatly, rampant with serious and devious gang activity. This has brought nothing but turmoil to her family, and shame. Her two uncles on her father's side were prominent members in the Surenos gang, one having what is referred to as a "shot-caller" status. They we're indicted on murder charges in 1999, along with her elder brother Alphonso whom they had also corrupted. His role in these crimes tore her father and mother to pieces, creating a huge rift in the family. One of her uncles managed to get cleared of all charges but it was obvious that he was also guilty. Her other uncle is now serving Life in San Quentin with no option for parole, and is still very much active within the Sureno gang, even from behind bars. Her brother is also in San Quentin and wont be eligible for parole until 2025, serving 25 years for the same murder charge.
She keeps in contact with her mother and father, whom she keeps a close eye on in LA. She also keeps tabs on her sister, whom is currently attending Los Angeles Community College. Serena is constantly worried that she wont stay on the right path so she calls her often. Her father is not on speaking terms with the rest of the family, who are dually not thrilled about Serena's career choices. It could be stated that they aren't exactly up for small talk either. She has one friend that she spends a good bit of time with. Cindy Chavez, whom she see on a weekly basis, usually going out for drinks, girl's nights, etc.

Weaknesses:

"It's a man's world."- Serena is on the smaller side and isn't quite as strong physically as the other counterparts in her unit. She has a small frame and is equally limited by this but what she lacks in strength she makes up for with her extreme determination. She might fail, but she'll go down fighting. She's gotta lotta heart.
Serena also displays extremely detrimental behaviors, and often takes extreme risks. She is so strong-headed and persistent that it sometimes clouds her judgement. She also has an inferiority complex, and displays behavior patterns commonly referred to as Napoleonic in nature, characterized by overly-aggressive or domineering social behavior, such as lying about earnings, and carries the implication that such behavior is compensatory for the subject's physical or social shortcomings. In psychology, the Napoleon complex is regarded as a derogatory social stereotype.

Fears: Not being "good enough". Obsolescence, inferiority. Serena has always felt like that if she fails it's because she didn't try hard enough, or do enough, and that all fault is always on her shoulders.

In her second year on the swat force she was dispatched with the team on a high risk operation deep in gang territory. The raid was conducted jointly by DEA and LAPD. A tip had been received about high gang activity and possibly human or sex trafficking in the area. She was initially only going as a negotiator with the group having a natural background in gang activity, but she was later utilized on the breeching of a building occupied by a Vietnamese gang TRG or Tiny Rascals Gang. The unit pushed in on the grounds and discovered a low muffled sound resonated from within when they got close to the door. Serena was next to last in line. While they waited for the go ahead to breech and shrill cry came from inside. It sounded female, and the front was breeched immediately by a breeching hammer and the team rushed in. Blood covered the walls as the entered the domicile. Three assailants then presented themselves from multiple angles within the main hallway. All three were brandishing firearms, one of which was a MAC-10. All three were immediately dispatched, the first two by the first team members in and the last was dispatched by Lt. Gomez herself when she discharged a short burst of rounds, hitting the assailant with 3 rounds killing him instantly. She kept herself calm and collected and continued to sweep along with the team. Officer Bradshaw had taken two rounds in the vest as well and fell from point to gather his breath. Once the top floor had been cleared and a radio playing ethnic rap was dialed down the muffled sound could still be heard. They made there way to the last door on the hall that led to the basement level. The door was nudged free and swung quietly open. The incoherent mumbling loudened and a stench of fetid meat rose from below, and the sound soon could be made out that it was some sort of mindless chanting. The smell was rancid and thick. They quietly moved down the stairs and continued to clear the home.
Upon hitting the landing on the bottom level they seen the horror below. Four dead teenage girls were lying exactly in alignment with the cardinal directions. There throats were all cut, one of which to the point that the spine could be seen from the front. One was also missing a long strip of flesh from the inner thigh. In the middle of them there were four naked perps chanting, and they were covered all over in ritualistic symbols and blood. A fifth one stood in front of a massive altar facing the team. He turned and threw a piece of meaty flesh onto the woodstove and the searing could be heard from across the room. The smoke bellowed and the stench along with it. He turned back and dug his own eyes out with a knife right in front of the team, right before rushing towards them and the rest rose to follow him, and they were all dispatched immediately by the team. It is unclear just who shot where.. It was noted that the five assailants from below were on the short side, so much though that it seemed like grotesque deformity, and while their bodies were adorned with tattoos they were completely void any hair. Their skin, thought to be covered in blood, actually had skin that was red in nature. They were drenched in blood, but their actual skin was red in hue. It was a sickening site to see, all of it.
There were bowl's of meat and flesh, organs. The stuff was everywhere.. Strange symbols, small like letting covered the walls. "Some straight voodoo lookin shit" The shrine appeared to be human bones, Stones and some wood, candles and big rods of incense all smoldering and wafting. There was a woodstove nestled in the middle of it, like the shrine had been built around it. It was enough to make Serna and two other officers to vomit. What had been thought to be a sex trafficking ring was much more than that. Serena could have sworn that she had seen something looming above the shrine. A black mass, swirling and writhing in contempt. It glared at her just before having to remove herself from the bottom floor. The room was suddenly thick and she couldn't breath, the stench of burning flesh and wafting clouds of incense permeated the basement floor and were lit by beams of light that shone through tiny windows nestled in the foundations . It was all very straining and intense, and it all became more than she could take in. Stifling.
The scene was later described by the first teams on the scene as being horrendous, and the levels of mutilation witnessed were "unparalleled" in nature. The debriefing was lengthy and strenuous as well. Psychiatrists were appointed to oversee most every team member. This was some deep shit. One member quit three weeks later, and then another within a month. These people or whatever they were, was later discovered, or at least in appearance to the Tcho-Tcho. The Tcho-Tcho People are a group of tribes of near-human Asian natives. They can be found in Burma, The Anderman Isles, Tibet and Malaysia. They are genetically from humans, they are notably smaller, have livid red skin, and other marked physiological differences. Legends point to prehistoric genetic engineering of pre-human ancestors by the Great Old Ones Zhar and Lloigor. These legends purport they "grew from the 'seeds' of the Twin Obscenities"). This intel was all pulled later on from leads in obscure mythologies. The ritualistic nature of the scene was attributed to blood magic, possibly used in hopes of dispelling trouble from the law or other forces that would thwart the gang's illegal endeavors such as drug trafficking and other crimes.
Talking about the incident in any context outside of the unit, or even amongst themselves was strictly forbidden, not that any of them really wanted to talk about what they had witnessed to begin with. Serena is still required to check in with her Psychiatrist Angela Baker and make a full check in appointment once a month.

Clothing:
Tight fitting jeans, comfortable tank top, or T-shirt. Sunglasses or ballcap, light Jacket or Hoodie when called for. Stylish boots, still of the utility kind. Nylon slimline CC holster, either on hip or back area.

Weapons:
Beretta 92 - 9mm X 10rd
X2 9mm X 10rd magazines
S&W High Carbon Tactical Knife

Tools/Equipment:
Prepaid Cellphone
Personal Cellphone
Car keys
Badge
Wallet

Personal Vehicle: 2018 Dodge Charger (black)
Gymbag- shit for gym, Icy-Hot patches, muscle tape, clothing.


Clothing:
Bulletproof vest, SWAT Patch across front and back. Additional gear and armor (ranging in a wide variety of gear and colors that is operation specific), copious amounts of Velcro and straps. Sunglasses or cap, fatigues, jacket, utility harness, Ballistic helmet, gloves, or other (if specified), Bates 8" black tactical boots.

Weapons:
H&K MP5- 9x19mm - Preferred over UMP-40/.45
Assorted attachments (light, laser/light combos, red dot)
AR15 platforms (when specified)
Beretta 92 - 9mm X 10rd
X3 9mm X 10rd magazines
X3 9x19mm 30 round magazines

Tools/Equipment:
Limited Med-kit
Utility Tool
Radio ( with earpiece, or without)
S&W High Carbon Tactical Knife
Badge

Duty Vehicle: 2018 Ford Explorer (black, unmarked)
SWAT Gear

Additional Equipment:
A SWAT team may also use battering rams, breaching hammers, halogen tools, ballistic shields, and stun grenades. Tasers, pepper ball guns, flash bang grenades, and tear gas may also be used in certain instances. Bearcats and other armored or unit specific vehicles. These items as well as some of the ones mentioned above usually are employed for demotion of doors or breaking locks. Another use is to provide protection by warding off enemies who are in the midst of attack.