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Nov 20, 2009 5:09 pm US/Central
Woman Turns Victimization Into Empowerment
DALLAS (CBS 11 / TXA 21) ―
She's one of 23 graduates of the Dallas Police Department's Citizen Academy.
But Terra Hackett is one of the few here who can also be called a crime victim.
"I was beat up pretty badly I was in the hospital for a couple of weeks and it was more traumatic than physical I didn't want to go outside I didn't want to see anybody I didn't want to talk to anybody"
Hackett was drugged and physically attacked by a man who became obsessed with her. Her weeks in the hospital led to a determination to never let it happen again.
The 23-year-old Sherman woman signed up for the eight week citizens academy that teaches basic police skills and give people like her the confidence to come back from a traumatic assault.
"I just know there are things I can do to prevent it and things I can do in the aftermath to get over it."
"I learned a lot about when you get hurt ways that you can protect yourself."
Academy graduates don't have the power of uniformed officers, but some like Terra Hackett walk away empowered by the experience and even see it as a possible career.
"I'm hoping to join the Dallas Police Department next year."
For more information on the Dallas Police Citizen Academy, click here.
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