COLLEGE PARK, Md. — Latisaha Adams has been a Baltimore City police officer for the past 17 years.
It's a challenging job, but she has another title that has been just as challenging.
WATCH: Determined single mom and Baltimore police officer overcomes obstacles to earn college degree
"I'm a single mom of three. My son is fully disabled, fully dependent on me, and it's not easy, it's not," she says.
On Friday, she walked across the stage at the University of Maryland Global Campus while her family watched, cheering her on.
A moment she says she almost didn't think would happen.
"And so many times, I wanted to drop out. In January, I said, I can't do this. I'm dropping out," says Latisaha Adams.
But she remembered the promise she made to herself to get her degree for her oldest son.
"In 2018, he was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, which is a rare liver cancer in children," says Adams.
She says after a few surgeries, her son is cancer-free but unable to take care of himself.
But working full-time, taking care of three kids, and taking college classes full-time wasn't easy.
"It was challenging because I work full-time. Sometimes, I don't get off on time. I get drafted a lot, where I gotta work 16-hour shifts, doing my schoolwork while I'm trying to save the world," she says.
But Adams, with encouragement from her family, friends, and community, combined with her determination to keep her promise, pushed through.
"I gave myself a little slogan. I said, 'I can, I will, I did.' You know, because I can go back to school, I will go back to school, and I did it," she says.
Adams now has a bachelor's degree in criminal justice, which will allow her to move up the ranks within the Baltimore City Police Department.
She says she is working towards becoming a sergeant and possibly becoming an agent for Baltimore City Police.
