FORT WORTH, Texas — Lili Hernandez is a 16-year-old JROTC student at South Hills High School. But, as of Aug. 29, she might also be in the pipeline to become a future Fort Worth police officer and part of the effort to bridge the gap in neighborhoods where police officer relations might not be at their best.
"Since I was little, I always had a thought about being an officer or something involved in it," the high school junior said at a ceremony officially launching a nine-month criminal justice program.
Hernandez is among the 25 students in the first year of the collaboration between the Fort Worth Police Department (FWPD), Fort Worth ISD, and the city of Fort Worth.
The first year students come from both South Hills High School and Eastern Hills High School. The program, believed to be the first-of-its-kind, gives high school students initial training in what is expected of a police officer and qualifies them to become 911 operators by the time they are 18. After the age of 20 1/2, upon completion of standard academy training, the students could become qualified to be Fort Worth police officers.
Currently, FWPD says the department has 144 vacancies.
"This is something that we've got officers that are passionate about, how we've got home-grown talent. This is a way to go about doing it," said Fort Worth Police Officer Tracy Carter.
"The best way to predict the future is to create it," Fort Worth Police Chief Neil Noakes said to the students as he delivered a quote from Abraham Lincoln. "I believe that's exactly what all of in this room are doing today."
"I would love to help improve my city," Hernandez said. "I was born and raised here in the south side. It will be amazing to be able to help the city."
Hernandez said she is also willing to take part in the program's other goal: helping improve relations in parts of the city where trust in police officers might be lacking.
"People see cops as like bad people," she said of some opinions in her own neighborhood. "They think 'oh it's 12's they're bad people.' But I would hope I could probably improve their visions on police officers and anybody that works in law enforcement."
"And you are the start of that, and so as your mayor I am incredibly proud of you," Fort Worth Mayor Mattie Parker told the students as their first day of classes began.
"You have to really want to dig into your soul a little bit and push forward, and that's what I think they'll learn today," said Robert Wright, who is FWISD director of College Career and Military Readiness.
"They'll learn that is where they want to go," he said of the dedication it takes to become a police officer.
As for Hernandez, she said she might be headed for a career in the Army first. But, being a Fort Worth police officer, is now a possibility too.
"I hope that I can be something great one day in the future," she said.
"Thank you for trusting in us and believing in us," Noakes told the students. "We believe in you. And I see nothing but amazing things coming from this."
Although only two high schools are involved in the program this first year, FWPD and Fort Worth ISD hope to be able to expand the program in the future to as many schools as possible.