TAMPA, Fla. — Officer Hector Zurita, with the Tampa Police Department, is a proud Honduran, Ecuadorian, and first-generation Latino American.
"I take pride in being Latino here at the police department and representing the Latino community," he said.
Serving as the Hispanic Affairs Liaison for the department, Zurita spent his Thursday teaching senior citizens about crime trends and scams.
"Any opportunity I have to engage the Hispanic community, I take it very seriously because I know that I am the voice of the Hispanic community," Zurita explained.
Whether part of the honor guard or out in the community, Officer Hector Zurita said his Hispanic culture fuels his mission to serve.
"We're rich with our family. We love our families, and I'm the same way. I mean, every weekend, I'm in my mom's house eating her traditional Hispanic dish," Zurita said.
"They instilled in me respect, integrity, honesty, and I think I represent that as a law enforcement officer to our community, especially our Hispanic community. I let them know that I'm here. They can trust me with any issues they may have, and I'm going to do my very best to help them as much as possible in my powers as a law enforcement officer," Zurita added.
Zurita said having a familiar face or a similar last name as the people he serves helps them know they're not alone.
"I make sure that I create relationships, but not only that, I stick with them. Because our Hispanic community trust is big, and I know that once I gain their trust, we can grow together as a community," Zurita explained.
He said Hispanic Heritage Month gives Latinos the chance to relive their rich heritage and cultures, all while reminding them of their purpose.
"Being here as a Hispanic officer, representing other Latinos in this country, is what makes me proud and fills me with motivation to keep doing what I do," Zurita said.
