Pedro Lopez made history as the first Latino and Hispanic police chief in Killeen, and he says the responsibility that comes with that milestone drives him to open doors for others.
"I have great responsibility being the first, and I want to make sure I pass it on and give that opportunity to other people in our department and around the nation," Lopez said.
Lopez was born and raised in New York and carries the accent of his hometown and his cultural roots proudly alongside his badge. His 39 years in law enforcement follow a previous career in the military.
"I'm very proud to be the first Hispanic Latino police chief in Killeen, but I hope I'm not the last," Lopez said.
Lopez says he is aware that Latinos have historically had limited representation in law enforcement, and his own early experiences shaped his approach to the job.
"Back in the '70s and '80s, there was a lot of abuse of the citizens where I grew up at. And I said when I grow up, and I wanted to become a cop, I'm not going to be one of those police officers. I want to make sure we serve the community with the respect that they deserve," Lopez said.
That perspective has shaped how he approaches community outreach, law enforcement, and the 287g agreement and how it impacts the Latino community.
"We have to build trust within our community. And that starts by being with the community. I'm very active with our members with NAACP and LULAC, and I think that's helped us build that trust," Lopez said.
On immigration enforcement, Lopez has drawn a clear line.
"I believe in immigration efforts, but I don't believe we should be involved in civil detainers. So we don't cooperate in those investigations," Lopez said.
Instead, Lopez focuses on meeting with church members and advocates and has more than doubled the number of community outreach officers. The results have been measurable.
"Our crime rates are 38 percent down, and I think that says a lot about his leadership as well," a community member said.
"We get a lot more interaction and a lot more discussion and tips even in solving cases and open discussion with citizens from Killeen," another community member said.
Lopez's community investment extends to creating positive role models for at-risk youth and running summer camps for kids.
"He talks the talk, but he also walks the walk. And every year we have a Fallen Hero 5K and chief actually ran it. And that was pretty hilarious to see," a community member said.
Upcoming Killeen Police Department events include the National Night Out and a domestic violence awareness event. Lopez says domestic violence is Killeen's largest crime.
