A second-class detective in the NYPD , Elisa first encountered the Gargoyles when investigating a series of disturbances in the castle atop the skyscraper of billionaire David Xanatos . In one of the most enduring scenes of the show, the sudden appearance of Goliath while she was snooping around shocked her into falling over the battlements, and he swooped down to rescue her. The two developed a bond almost immediately, at first connecting by their shared duty to "protect and serve", and an attraction grew over time. This soon made Elisa the avowed enemy of Goliath's former mate, Demona , who first "met" Elisa when the latter thwarted Demona's attempt on Goliath's life.
 Elisa largely dubbed herself the protector of the protectors, although on a number of occasions she did display a certain unwillingness to share her secret (the existence of gargoyles) with anyone else, even her friends and family. She convinced the clan to leave the home of David Xanatos and move into the clock tower above the police station where she works. She did everything she could to make them feel at home, bringing them food and even supplying a television set and old recliner chair. It was in part due to Elisa's role as a police detective that the clan realized what their new role was in the world - they dedicated themselves to defending the citizens of Manhattan island.
As a member of the NYPD, she has had multiple partners, her current partner is Matt Bluestone