DAVIS, Calif. — The UC Davis Police Department recently hired its first officer who is a DACA recipient. The opportunity was made possible by a new state law.
In December, Officer Ernesto Moron was sworn in.
"I was excited to start and help out my community here at UC Davis," he said.
He graduated from the university in 2020.
While his first day as a police officer in the field was just a few weeks ago, he has a long history with UC Davis PD. He joined the University's student security team in 2016.
"When I got the position for student security, that's when I was able to talk with the police officers here, and kind of just get to know what they are actually about," he said.
Those interactions helped build trust with law enforcement that wasn't always there.
"I grew up where I was not comfortable talking with the police officers or even a police department in general just because I was undocumented; I didn't have any papers," said Moron.
He was born in Jalisco, Mexico and came to the United States when he was five years old. His family came to this country with hopes for a better life.
It wasn't until a law went into effect last year that Moron or others like him could even apply to be police officers. The legislation removed the U.S. citizenship requirement and now, recipients of DACA, or the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals program, can work in law enforcement.
"I'm no different. I've been here for about 21 years in this country, so I don't see myself an outsider. There's just one thing that's different about me: I'm not a citizen. That's it," he said.
Moron went through background checks and the police academy, like other officers, to get here.
He hopes his story will encourage others like him to join law enforcement.
WATCH ALSO:
