Making a difference as a woman in uniform

South Texas College Police Academy cadet Samantha Rios believes women belong wherever they can make a difference, including in law enforcement.

Weeks away from graduating with her peace officer certificate and becoming a police officer, the 29-year-old is turning a lifelong dream into reality through determination, higher education and hands-on experience.

“My dad would always tell me, ‘Choose a path where women are not always expected. If you want to make an impact, be a woman in uniform.’ That stuck with me,” she said. “If we are not part of the difference, then everything women went through to get us here does not mean as much. We must continue to be part of that change.”

Growing up in Laredo, Rios said law enforcement was always a familiar topic at home. Her father, who once aspired to become a federal highway police officer in Mexico, often spoke about the profession with admiration and respect.

Although she initially pursued a career in medicine, Rios said the idea of law enforcement never fully left her. Nearing completion of a bachelor’s degree in Biology, she made the life-changing decision to shift toward Criminal Justice, seeking a more hands-on career inspired by the encouragement her father had instilled in her.

“I wanted to be a doctor, but it just did not feel right,” she said. “I always wanted something more hands-on and criminal justice is where my heart is.”

Determined to gain firsthand experience and develop “thick skin,” Rios began her career in Beeville as a correctional officer for the Texas Department of Criminal Justice.

“People always told me that if you want to be in law enforcement, you have to grow thick skin, especially as a female,” Rios said. “That is why I went into corrections, so I could learn firsthand how to deal with the people I would eventually deal with outside.”

After a year, Rios continued building experience as a detention specialist with the City of Edinburg before realizing her goals extended beyond corrections. She enrolled in STC’s Police Academy this past January, balancing full-time work for two months before ultimately leaving her job to focus solely on school.

“Everybody talked really highly about STC,” Rios said. “They told me it was the best place to start, especially because I could self-sponsor and focus on the academy without already belonging to an agency.”

Since joining the academy, Rios said the experience has challenged her mentally and physically through academics, training and hands-on instruction, helping prepare her for the next step in her career.

“STC gives you a little bit of everything,” Rios said. “You are mentally challenged with books, physically challenged because of training and it really shows you how much effort you are willing to put into this career.”

Rios also credits the academy’s experienced instructors for helping cadets think critically and prepare for real-life situations in the field.

“They do not just hand you the answers,” she said. “They want to see how you think because in this field, things are not just going to be handed to you.”

Now nearing graduation, Rios has already begun applying to agencies across the region and hopes to continue building a career in law enforcement while eventually pursuing a master’s degree in Criminology.