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My name is Susana Hernandez, and I was born and raised in El Paso, Texas. I am currently a Corporal at the University of Texas at El Paso. I am the second oldest of five children, which I feel contributed to the person I am today. I helped my mother with my siblings and learned early on about the responsibility, hard work, care, and pride it brought, watching another person grow and develop, and how one person can make a difference. Growing up, I wanted to become an engineer or architect. I never thought about being a police officer; however, I discovered the world had different plans for me. I found myself as a single parent and put school on hold to focus on supporting and raising my children. To this day, becoming a positive role model for my younger siblings and as a single parent to my daughters was a considerable undertaking but well worth every minute.
All these challenges I faced before obtaining my commission in July of 2015 prepared me for my role as a police officer. I love the wonderful group of people I am privileged to be a part of and the family of law enforcement I feel I gained. Never could I have imagined the closeness of such a vast group of people from all different backgrounds. I am honored to be able to serve in my role as a peace officer. The various aspects the job offers, the impacts we can make, and the constantly changing roles we fill, make the job rewarding. The most gratifying part of this job, in my opinion, are the individuals we come across and help. I enjoy knowing that I am an individual someone can rely on in their best or worst of times. Working at the university, I am privileged to encounter individuals in a different capacity than I would at a municipal, county, or other state department. As officers at the university, we can create lasting relationships with the students, staff, and faculty. Our community sees us as members of the UTEP family and values our presence around the campus because of our relationships. I hope to continue building connections with our law enforcement partners and community members. I enjoy my role as a field training officer, and I became a basic instructor to continue supporting and contributing to teaching new officers. I look forward to developing my leadership abilities. I am finishing my bachelor’s degree, and I am excited to continue my career with the University of Texas System Police.
