Change by Vianey

Change by Vianey - June 2020 Scholarship Essay

Change is what I’ve lived for my whole life. To understand why my parents always told me to never look back at a cop car and to never speak spanish in a public area. At this moment sitting here typing this essay there are protesters in Downtown Phoenix, Arizona protesting and looting local businesses for the cause of Black Lives Matter.
George Floyd is one of many reasons why the badge is what I look forward to standing behind In 4 years. I promised to make a change in the color community as well as in the state of Arizona. My change is that if I see my partner’s or another officer's actions that can not be justified I will stand up for the suspect. Even though they are identified as a suspect they are human. I will prove to the department that there should be more community policing to better the picture of an officer. By community policing it leads to that bond you will create in that neighborhood and people will get to know you behind the uniform. Not only that but you see who lives there and who is suspicious in that area an officer would provide that feeling of safety to the families around. Community policing will lead to trust which is huge once you have reached that trust they will no longer had bad images of police officers.
Tone of your voice the way you speak can make a change. Once I’m in that department I want to teach that having a tone that isn’t harsh changes the situation you may or may not have got involved in. Such as the way you approach someone when their child has shoplifted with your tone you can ask if they may return back into the store. If you approach the child with the stolen toy with an aggressive tone you’ve given the mother/father rage on how they now feel about the situation. Which on the other hand the child probably forgot they had the toy and didn’t put it back. All situations can go two ways and it’s just the type of way you handle it. As a future police officer I see myself as setting the example that even though I am Latina I understand where people come from but what people would need to understand is that officers must act in a professional manner in all situations and that’s where you will act professional with a nice tone so that people won’t get a bad impression.
Two important changes I plan on achieving in 4 years and being able to be on the other side of the protest and tell them we understand and that we are here to only protect and help the city.