‘She makes me want to be a better person’

Sofia Arnone and Dakota Hodgson both attended a Seattle Police recruiting event, but unbeknownst to him, she was sitting behind him, and she felt he came across as a jerk and initially did not like him.

A short time later, Dakota saw her while they were at the police academy, and even though he thought she was beautiful, he didn’t speak to her.

“But, once we both graduated from the academy, I made my move. I slid into her DMs and asked her to go to dinner,” Dakota said. “She reluctantly said ‘yes,’ and after we went out, she told her parents she had a good time and she thought she liked me. The rest is history.”

While they were dating, Dakota knew Sofia was the person he wanted to spend the rest of his life with because she is a responsible, loving and quality human being. He added that she is strong, confident and beautiful, which are qualities he looks for in a partner. The couple was married on April 22, 2023, exactly four years after their first date.

They are both police officers in Washington State, and they love their jobs. Sofia comes from a family of first responders, so she wanted to be a police officer since she was a teenager, and she is proud to have fulfilled that dream.

When she isn’t working, Sofia loves hanging out with Dakota and their dog, Dobby, and their two cats, Oliver and Nora. She loves trying new restaurants and finding new “pink drinks to try.”

She attended Washington State University and cheers for their sports teams, frequently yelling, “Go Cougs!”

Dakota and Sofia also enjoy traveling together, especially if it is somewhere warm. Hotel Del, Hawaii and Scottsdale are her favorite trips they have taken.

“We have made so many wonderful memories during our travels,” Dakota said. “We love visiting new places and making new memories, but experiencing the Del for the first time is something we will always remember.”

 Sofia comes from a great family, and she is a good daughter to her parents by always being there for her family and constantly wanting to be around them and spending time with them.

Earning the respect of the important people in Sofia’s life, especially her family, is very important to her, which led to the infamous quote to her mom, “Are you proud of me now, Mom?”

Not only her mom, but her entire family are very proud of her because she works as an officer for the City of Tacoma and recently began a lateral assignment as a TAC Officer at the State Police Academy.

“This position is perfect for Sofia,” Dakota said. “She enjoys teaching others and wants to grow the newest generation of officers. I am very proud of the work she does. She is passing on her knowledge to better the younger generation of police officers.”

Dakota said that Sofia is truly a unique person. She is shy and an introvert at times, but loves those who are important to her and will do anything for them. Dakota admires that she is very patient and kind and will go out of her way to help others with no expectations in return.

Sofia fully commits herself to everything she does, and once she finds activities she enjoys, she wants to do them all the time.

Dakota appreciates that Sofia is honest and isn’t afraid to let her feelings be known. She can appear to be harsh and firm, but it’s only out of love and caring to help people improve themselves.

“She challenges me and doesn’t let me slack,” Dakota said. “She constantly keeps me on my toes and makes me want to be a better person.”

The couple has been married for almost a year, and Dakota feels blessed that he gets to spend every day with the love of his life.

“Sofia, I want you to know how much you mean to me,” Dakota said. “I see and appreciate everything you do for our little family. You are and always will be my favorite person. I am so thankful for the countless good times we have had together from traveling to trying new restaurants, to just spending quality time together. I look forward to spending our lives together, making more memories. I love you!”