Determination and Dedication, Amy’s Story

DENISON, Texas (KXII) - News 12 is working with the Grayson Crisis Center to prevent violence by changing the way our community values women.

We’re highlighting one woman a month who redefines success, by achieving HER goals in HER way.

This month, a senior officer at Denison Police Department, whose determination led her to the top of a male-dominated field and whose dedication allowed success to find her.

‘I got this, I can do this.’

Words Amy Leach lives by.

She wears many hats at the Denison Police Department but her main capacity is community officer.

‘We want to build that trust, where they can trust us to come and tell us at their worst moment that they need our help,’ said Leach.

Leach says her own experience on the job has helped her realize the importance of building a community around yourself.

She started off her career as a single mother.

‘It was rough at first,’ she said. ‘It was long days. I worked a lot of nights. I missed a lot of activities for my son.’

But she says every part of that sacrifice was worth it.

‘Showing him the dedication and the determination that you can do anything no matter what life throws at you was very important to me,’ said Leach.

She says keeping her eye on the bigger picture has helped her think outside herself in the tough moments.

‘Faith is a big role in that as well, always has been since I started,’ she said.

Even when it felt like the cards were stacked against her.

‘When I first started, in a different department, I had a corporal tell me that I would have to work harder and be smarter than any man to succeed in this career,’ Leach said.

But she says that’s simply not true.

In fact, the things that set her apart from other officers allow her to do things the others can’t and pick up where they leave off.

‘I didn’t let that stop me,’ she said.

Her message to anyone who’s told they can’t: show them why you can.

‘As long as you work hard and you accept the challenges and you strive to do your best, nothing can stop you,’ said Leach.

She kept her focus and worked so hard, by the time she looked up, success was at her feet.

‘It didn’t matter to me,’ she said. ‘That’s what I wanted to do and I set my mind to it. Even though I was told repeatedly, “You’re not going to make it. You’re a small woman, at that.” And I did it anyway.’

To nominate someone you think has redefined success, or to learn more about this program and how it aims to prevent violence in our community follow this link to the Grayson Crisis Center’s HER Story page: https://www.graysoncrisiscenter.org/her-story

This publication was supported by the Cooperative Agreement Grant # 6 NUF2CE002508-02-02, funded by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Its contents are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not necessarily represent the official views of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Department of Health and Human Services, the Texas Department of State Health Services or the Texas Office of the Attorney General.

Copyright 2021 KXII. All rights reserved.