Close up of a UT System Police Badge, with text on the side of the image: Office of the Director of Police

Officer Hong Duong, UT Southwestern Medical Center Police Department

Blog Category
Officer of the Month
Officer Duong
Officer Hong Duong-UT Southwestern Medical Center
Police Department

I was born in 1979 in Saigon, Vietnam.  I am the 4th child in my family.  I lived in Vietnam until 1990 when my family left Vietnam and moved to a refugee camp on Bataan in the Philippines through a special petition from the US Government Program.  This is where I first started learning English as a 2nd language taught by local teachers.

My family eventually was sponsored and moved to Fort Worth, TX in 1991.  I had a challenging childhood growing up in Vietnam, the Philippines and then in the United States.  I persevered through language barriers and cultural hurdles and finally graduated high school in 1999.  I thought and still think this is the best country in the world so 2 weeks after my high school graduation, I wanted to give back and show my appreciation by joining the United States Marine Corps.  I enlisted and shipped off to San Diego, CA for boot camp.  In my time in the Marine Corps, I learned that I am part of something bigger, the value of freedom experienced every day, what it takes to become a leader, teamwork, dedication and honor.

I wanted to retire from the Marine Corps but an injury cut my career short.  I was Honorably Discharged and returned to Ft. Worth, TX in 2000.  While rehabbing my injury, I enrolled in college to further my education.  In 2001, I applied and was gratefully hired on by the UT Southwestern Police Department as a Public Safety Officer.  In 2005, I applied for and was promoted to a UTSP Police Cadet.  I attended the 80th UTPD Academy Class in Austin, TX.  In December 2005, I graduated from the UTSP Academy as a full time TX commissioned police officer with top honors in physical fitness.

From 2005 until today, I have humbly and honorably served the UT Southwestern Community as a dedicated commissioned police officer.  From my humble and impoverished beginnings in Vietnam to my current role as an informal leader and senior police officer on Evening (B) Shift mentoring the next generation of police officers, I am thankful and ready to serve every day with distinction, dedication and a desire to help the community in any way I can.