The Socorro Independent School District Police Services Department has made two key promotions that highlight the department’s commitment to ensuring a safe learning environment for all students.
Officer Analyz Zamora has joined the K9 unit as its first female handler, and Officer Ashley Roque has been promoted to detective. These promotions showcase the dedication and skill of the department's officers and strengthen its commitment to the safety and well-being of the community.
"Officer Zamora and Officer Roque earned their new roles through merit, dedication and a strong work ethic," said Chief George Johnson. "They’ve demonstrated exceptional professionalism and are valuable assets to our department and the SISD community."
Strengthening school safety
The SISD police department is the third largest local law enforcement agency in the El Paso region, with more than 70 police officers, including 14 female officers and dispatchers.
Since August, Zamora has worked alongside K9 Nia, a Dutch Shepherd trained in narcotics detection and search operations. Together, they aim to keep schools safe and drug-free for everyone. Additionally, they assist local agencies in El Paso County with narcotics detection.
“Our main goal is to keep the children safe,” Zamora said. “And of course, also our admin, our teachers, everyone who is involved in the schools, we keep them safe.”
Roque's promotion to detective follows two years of service as a police officer in the district. Her role entails coordinating investigations, conducting interviews, gathering evidence and performing other tasks to ensure that students, teachers and staff have a safe learning environment.
“I'm ready to start spreading that work ethic that I have to other people so we can continue to move the department forward,” Roque said.
All In for Safety
To enhance the safety of the school community, the SISD police force is equipped with specialized officers and units. The department has a fully trained SWAT team, an officer assigned to crisis negotiations, a traffic unit, a K-9 unit that is narcotics and weapons certified and a criminal investigation division. SISD detectives also are assigned to the El Paso Fusion Center, an all-crimes, all hazards tactical information and intelligence hub for the El Paso Police Department.
The SISD Police Department has also established strong partnerships with local law enforcement agencies, including the El Paso Police Department and the Sheriff’s Department, among others, to provide swift and appropriate action to protect school communities.
“We do provide a valuable service to the district and to the community, and we also hold more cases than most of the other agencies all put together. So, we do the larger amount of criminal cases and investigations than the rest of the city and the county,” Johnson said.
That is why Johnson’s priority is to hire offers who have excellent temperament and are committed to working as a team, like Zamora and Roque.
Zamora, a police officer for two years, had always dreamed of working as a K9 officer and protecting people. She and her K9 partner, Nia, started working together at another police department where Zamora was the only female K-9 officer. Since then, they have developed a strong bond, and they are dedicated to providing a safe learning environment.
Although the K-9 academy was challenging, she was determined to succeed. She said that if she can achieve her dreams, students can too, if they work hard and persevere.
“Living the best of both worlds, I would say it's a privilege,” Zamora said. “I get to come to work with my best friend and get to go home with my best friend.”
Roque was working as a paraprofessional in the SISD special education department and studying to become a special education teacher when the tragedy at Robb Elementary School in Uvalde changed her trajectory.
She had two children enrolled in special education classes in the district, and she wanted to do her part to ensure that they, along with all other students, were protected. She enrolled in the police academy and was hired by the SISD Police Department, where she is making a difference by helping to ensure children’s safety.
Her advice to students interested in law enforcement is to stay focused on their goals, be disciplined, and have perseverance.
“Trust me, there's been a couple of times where I wanted to give up in the academy because it's really hard, but I didn't, and I'm here now,” Roque said.
Role model in uniform
The SISD Police department includes 14 female officers and dispatchers who are making an impact across the department, contributing their skills and talent to every shift.
Among them is the department’s first female sergeant, Yvette Perez, whose quick thinking and heroic actions saved the life of an infant.
Last year, while driving to work, Perez noticed a woman outside her home holding a toddler and waving for help. Without hesitation, she rushed to assist and quickly realized that the child had something lodged in his throat and was not breathing.
“When she handed me the baby, the baby was already like a blue color,” Perez recalled. “So, my training kicked in, and I started giving them first aid.”
Thanks to Perez’s life-saving techniques, she was able to dislodge the item from the baby’s throat, and he is doing well today.
“I held my composure and did what I had to do,” said Perez, who was promoted to sergeant nine years ago.
Her actions exemplified the hard work and dedication that SISD police officers demonstrate daily in protecting the community. Perez is one of four sergeants who help lead the department. She oversees 11 officers in the Americas and Montwood feeder patterns.
In addition to her duties, Perez created the department's mascots, Lawrence and Lawra, who travel to schools and community events to promote the department, especially to young children.
She said the best thing about her job is protecting and serving others and serving as a role model to students.
“What makes it all worth it at the end of the day is the happiness of the students, the way they look up to the police department,” Perez said. “We’re not just here to arrest or to enforce the law. We're here to educate, to promote law enforcement, to do the right thing.”