Area law enforcement is reinforcing itself with more certified peace officers, thanks to 16 graduating Laredo Community College cadets who have passed the state certification exam.
The cadets, members of the B-05 basic peace officer class, will be honored at a graduation ceremony, hosted by the LCC Regional Police Academy, on Friday, Dec. 16 at 6 p.m. at the Kazen College Center on the LCC main campus.
In addition to completing the 19-week basic peace officer training program at the LCC South campus, the cadets will be recognized for accomplishing a 100 percent pass rate on the Texas Certified Law Enforcement Officer State Examination (TCLEOSE). All 16 cadets who took the exam achieved a passing score and are now Texas-certified peace officers.
The graduating class includes Armando Garcia, Christian Gonzalez, Adam J. Link, Thelma Hernandez, Lizette Castillo, Monica Cazares, Eduardo Guajardo III, Rojelio Nevarez, Rafael Lerma III, Ivan X. Saenz, Cesar I. Saenz, Francisco Rodriguez III, Jacqueline R. Siegfried, Jesus Jimenez, Marco Camero and Alonzo Salinas III.
“As one of the leading trainers for law enforcement in the state, Laredo Community College is pleased to recognize this group of cadets for completing their law enforcement training and excelling in the state certification exam,” Alfonso Mendiola, Protective Services Department chairperson, said.
Ray Garner, police academy director, also lauded the cadets on their performance in the academy and state exam.
“The cadets should be congratulated for their determination to complete intensive physical training and classroom instruction to pass a challenging state certification examination,” Garner said. “This was truly an exceptional class.”
In order to be admitted to the LCC Police Academy, participating cadets must be sponsored by local and regional law enforcement agencies. The B-05 cadets included law enforcement sponsors from Laredo, Webb County and Roma.
Three special awards will be presented during the graduation ceremonies, including the Highest Scholastic Award, the Top Gun Award and the Cadet Mentor Award. The recipients’ names will be announced at the ceremony. Laredo Police Chief Augustin Dovalina will be the ceremony’s guest speaker.
The 760-hour basic peace officer training program at LCC is comprised of rigorous physical training and study focusing on a variety of topics including the penal code, family violence, code of criminal procedures, firearms training, defensive tactics, emergency driving, patrol procedures, criminal investigating, mechanics of arrest, cultural diversity, history of policing, U.S. and Texas constitution and traffic law.
For more information about the LCC Police Academy, call 794-4908.
For college students interested in a career with a law enforcement agency, LCC also offers an Associate of Applied Science degree in Criminal Justice.
For more information, contact the LCC Protective Services Department by calling 794-4710.
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