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Franklin students meet, greet law enforcement agents
Dozens of police officers, fire fighters and federal law enforcement agents descended upon Franklin High School on Tuesday morning.
No, there was no emergency at Franklin. The officers were there by invitation from the school’s law enforcement education program as part of a meet and greet between professionals and students.
Teachers Tom Lott and Victor Hinojosa coordinated the event, welcoming local, state and federal agencies to stop by and talk to students about career opportunities.
“The students get a chance to talk to someone from law enforcement, ask any type of question and find out what the job involves … what it takes to be that type of person,” Lott said.
Both teachers are former law enforcement professionals, so they know the importance of providing real-life experiences to drive the lessons home for students.
“We wanted to expose the students to the various careers in law enforcement,” Hinojosa said. “We try to a lot of different things in the classroom, but this provides them with a hands-on experience.”
Border Patrol Agent Elias Garcia enjoyed talking to prospective agents.
“This is an excellent idea,” Garcia said. “It is great outreach for the students. They can come up here and ask questions. A lot of them ask us about salary, but what we try to teach them that if you enjoy your job, it’s not just work.”
Garcia also showcased the all-terrain vehicles agents use to navigate the rugged desert terrain.
“This is one of the duties that can be assigned on a daily basis once you’re certified to drive it,” Garcia said. “The students can really get an idea of some the things we do.”
The event was very informative for senior Matthew Hernandez, who is considering a career in law enforcement.
“I am interested in both the police department or the Border Patrol, but I am leaning more toward Border Patrol,” Hernandez said. “This event has definitely made me more interested in it. I am pumped.”
The senior really enjoys learning about the U.S. laws and enforcement, especially from Hinojosa, who is a retired El Paso police lieutenant.
“It’s really cool because he tells us a lot of stories, his experience, his training and what to expect if we get into it,” Hernandez said. “He’s a very good teacher.”
Also on hand, were firefighters and EMTs to talk to students about their jobs. The midday heat did not dissuade senior Damariz Nevarez from putting on a firefighter jacket, helmet and an SCBA or self-contained breathing apparatus.
“This is a great event. I enjoyed talking to all the different people from law enforcement and the firefighters,” Nevarez said. “Wearing the firefighter gear was a lot of fun.”