DALLAS — Shavon Bland joined the ranks of the Dallas Police Department as friends and family cheered her on.
"I don’t think there could be a police chief prouder in the country than I am right now,” said Dallas Chief of Police Eddie Garcia.
Bland sat down after her graduation to talk exclusively to WFAA about why she decided to become a Dallas police officer.
"I actually dreamt about being here,” said Bland.
She said it was a matter of faith, a word from God.
"When I got here, I knew this is where I was supposed to be, so there was no giving up,” said Bland.
Bland may seem an unlikely candidate to become a police officer considering her family’s history with law enforcement. Her sister Sandra Bland’s arrest sparked outrage after she was pulled over for not turning on her traffic signal. Sandra Bland was eventually dragged out of her car and tased. Three days later, she was found dead in her jail cell.
"So, when I joined, it was strictly for my sister, me and my family. We used to go out and speak and talk about police brutality and things of that nature,” said Bland.
Bland said she began to ask herself what she could to make things better for her community.
"You have to be the change you want to see, so if you want to see change, I have to start with me,” said Bland.
So, she joined DPD’s academy.
"I am incredibly proud of what happened, it is significant and I’m very hopeful. She’s going to have a tremendous career here with the Dallas Police Department,” said Garcia.
Sandra Bland’s arrest and death changed law and forced police departments across the state to provide racial profiling training and maintain records documenting race and ethnicity on people pulled over.
Garcia says DPD has worked hard to implement the changes.
“We want to bring people from the outside to start our department, and to find a blind spot, and tell us how to do better,” said Garcia.
Bland says her sister would be proud she took this step.
"I think she would be ecstatic. Once you do this job and see that you have touched just one person -- that was her goal too, to touch just one person -- then you’ve done well,” said Bland.
She begins her field training Monday and she says she is ready to make a difference.