It’s inspection day and Jacqueline Garcia has every detail and hair in place. The cadet is a junior at Reseda Charter High School – home to Los Angeles Unified School District’s largest Police Academy Magnet School.  

It’s a rigorous program, physically and academically and she takes it very seriously.

“You have to be very mature, disciplined, responsible, committed, dedicated,” she says.

“If you’re not this academy will definitely make you.”

About 240 cadets are enrolled in the program which is modeled after law enforcement recruitment academies. Of course, not every student goes on to a career on the force, but many do. Including a few members of Garcia’s family, like her aunt Christina and her uncle Hector. 

Both graduated from the Police Academy Magnet and now work for the Los Angeles Police Department. Garcia hopes to follow in their footsteps.  

“I want to help people, I want to protect people and I want to serve my community the same way they do,” she says proudly.

There are some other footsteps she may want to follow in as well. Assistant Chief Beatrice Girmala is the highest ranking woman at the LAPD. She conducted this year’s inspection of the cadets and liked what she saw, especially when she reached Garcia.

“I can just see that beautiful energy in you,” Girmala told the young cadet. 

“You are going to be a success in whatever you do.”

It was an unexpected and exciting moment for Garcia. 

“It makes me more motivated to do well in life and show that I can succeed and hopefully live up to something like that," she said.

With her combination of determination, perfect grades, natural leadership and that big time boost of confidence, don’t be surprised if this young junior one days rises through the senior ranks of the department.