Officer Mario Martinez is breaking new ground in Santa Maria as the police department’s first Mixtec-speaking officer.

Born in Arizona and raised in a small town in Oaxaca, Mexico called San Juan Mixtepec, Martinez, 30, has brought a unique set of linguistic and cultural skills to his role since joining the department in 2023.

“It helps a lot because I’m able to communicate with community members who struggle with English or Spanish,” Martinez said. “A lot of them feel more comfortable speaking Mixtec. When you speak to someone in their own language, it gives them peace of mind and they’re more willing to open up and tell you what’s going on.”

Mixtec, an Indigenous language family with dozens of regional dialects, is spoken by many Santa Maria residents, particularly those with roots in

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