The Southlake Police Department welcomed Officer Arianna Martinez to the force earlier this year, fresh after graduating from the North Central Texas Council of Governments (NCTCOG) police academy.
Officer Martinez was born in Phoenix, Arizona, enlisted in the Air National Guard when she was 18, and still currently serves.
She stated she’s always wanted to be a police officer, and her desires were solidified when she watched her older cousin become a law enforcement officer after her military experience. Her cousin was her role model, and seeing her accomplish that goal showed Officer Martinez that she could as well. She fostered a strong relationship with the SRO in her high school and wanted to emulate that relationship one day when she was an officer.
Officer Martinez said she chose the Southlake Police Department because she “wanted to be treated as a member of a family and not a number.” She is still shocked by the amazing support the department gets from the community and it reinforces her decision.
“I want to tell the citizens of Southlake that I’m already in love with this community, and I’m grateful for their support,” she said. “I’m looking forward to creating awesome and memorable relationships with as many of them as possible.”