Thirteen cadets graduated from police academy Friday and received their badges to become Dallas Police officers. Of the 13, Chief Eddie Garcia said just two were from Dallas; five were from other cities in Texas and five were from other states, including as far away as Alaska. One is from Mexico.
"But no matter your background, the moment you walked into the academy, you became a team," Garcia told the group. "From today forward, you are part of our family. You all wear the uniform as proud members of the Dallas Police Department."
Garcia told the group they would find themselves in difficult situations every day and to never compromise their ethics. The department's command staff, several Dallas City Council members and city leaders attended the ceremony.
"We support you. You are supported, and I can tell you that doesn't occur everywhere," he said.
"He's very, very supportive. Our command staff is very, very supportive. It kind of trickles down," said Officer Thomas Yukica.
Yukica is from Frisco and says the shooting in Downtown Dallas July 7, 2016 that killed four Dallas Police officers and a Dallas Area Rapid Transit officer showed the importance of law enforcement.
"I figured why not give back? Especially after seeing 7/7 live on TV. I was in high school at the time, and it made an impact," said Officer Thomas Yukica.
During his time in the academy, Yukica said he learned the different parts of police work. He spent time working at a 911 call center and says that showed him how many people work together to respond to each call, starting with a 911 operator compiling details and then giving that information to police dispatchers who then provide it to officers who are responding.
"It was an eye opener," he said. "You're on the front lines. You're there before the officers get there. You're hearing screams on the phone, you're hearing cries for help. It helps streamline the process. We know how it works on the back end, so when we get there, we know how it works."
Yukica said the academy also emphasized the importance of community involvement. He says they spent two days working at a food bank and also worked on other community projects to build relationships with neighborhoods and each other.
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