WACO, Texas — For decades the UNIDOS Hispanic Outreach program has provided assistance to Spanish-speaking residents across Texas. This resource is used for something as simple as receiving help with filling out a form or a relative.
For 13 years as a patrol officer for the Waco Police Department, Officer Anita Gomez has served residents across McLennan County seeing firsthand the need for more assistance in the Hispanic Community.
"For Hispanic-speaking officers that when they call the police department, they know they are going to talk to someone who is going to speak Spanish," Gomez said.
She is now working on bringing UNIDOS to Waco.
"We want to be like an arm to their family, be able to be that resource that they are looking for if that means calling for a plumber or I got a ticket," said Nora Almanza, office specialist for Community Outreach. "Being able to do that with them in their own language."
The program is set to kick off at the beginning of next year. Until then, Gomez and her team will be at every event gaining the community's trust ensuring residents are informed that the Waco Police Department is here whenever they are in need.
