STC Police Academy graduate ready to serve and protect
South Texas College student Jorge Garcia is excited to become the first peace officer in his family after graduating from STC’s 30th Police Academy this week.
ith a job already lined up and a promising career ahead, South Texas College student Jorge Garcia is excited to become the first peace officer in his family after graduating from STC’s 30th Police Academy this week.
“This is the culmination of a lot of hard work, studying and training; I hold much respect for law enforcement and their important role to keep the community safe. I’m so excited to finally join the force,” he said.
The 25-year-old McAllen native was born into a business-oriented family, a legacy he chose to set aside to follow a path in criminal justice and law enforcement.
“It had been decided for me to join the family trucking business early on, but it wasn’t for me,” he shared. “Early in high school I decided that I would follow a different path, somewhere I could be of service in a hands-on career.”
After graduating in 2016 from the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley with a bachelor’s degree in Criminal Justice, he spent a couple more years trying to decide how to take the first steps into his career.
“Initially, I was interested in joining a federal agency, but I doubted myself, that’s when I found STC’s Police Academy and decided to apply so I could improve my skills and achieve a successful career close to home.”
Garcia said the in-depth firearms training, tactical practice and other hands-on activities were his favorite part of the 22-week program.
This is the culmination of a lot of hard work, studying and training; I hold much respect for law enforcement and their important role to keep the community safe. I’m so excited to finally join the force
“From day one we were told of the rigorous work we would endure during the program and I enjoyed every part of it,” he said. “There’s far more reading material than I thought, but when you have and end goal and you enjoy what you do, it becomes much easier. Having fun at school is something that I hadn’t experienced before.”
STC’s Police Academy housed at the college’s Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence in Pharr, prepares students to take the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) peace officer license examination through various exams, skills and agility tests.
“Everything is so interesting to me; I love learning about it, but the hands-on training at STC is invaluable,” he said. “I’m thankful to the college for helping me become better and find a job before graduating.”
Garcia is currently in the hiring process with the Hidalgo County Sheriff’s Office, a recruitment made possible through STC’s long-time collaboration with county officials at the department.
“It’s well-known that the Sheriff’s Office holds high standards in employment, so for me to have the opportunity to start my career with them is amazing. School has been fun, but I’m ready to go out there and serve.”
Garcia is excited to continue learning out in the field and still has his sights set on his initial goal of working for a federal law enforcement agency later in his career.
“For now, I just want to learn everything I can with this new job and be the best law enforcement officer I can be”, he said. “There are so many opportunities for me to grow in this field. I’m thankful that STC has helped me open more doors.”
For more information on training and programs offered at STC’s Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence, visit southtexascollege.edu/rcpse/ or call 956-872-4208.