Amarillo College's Panhandle Regional Law Enforcement Academy (PRLEA) graduated 20 individuals Thursday night at the Oasis Southwest Baptist Church.

The graduation for the 124th class, according to Faculty Program Coordinator Tyler Smith, was a 100% passing rate on the first attempt for the Texas Commission on Law Enforcement (TCOLE) state licensing exams.

"This means a lot. It's actually, really unreal; I never thought I'd be in this position or get to this point in my life," said graduate China Alexander.

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Alexander spoke about her plans after graduation as a deputy for Hutchinson County and motivation to be the best role model for her daughter.

"I'm really excited for the future. They (Hutchinson County) are really adamant about drugs and addiction, and that was one of the main topics I wanted to tackle," Alexander said. "I'm proud that I'm able to be a good influence for my daughter as a single mom. My main goal is being someone she can look up to, someone worth looking up to."

According to the coordinator, all but two of the graduates already have positions as peace officers across the state.

"With the exception of those two, they all have jobs, so they're already entering the community as soon as tomorrow and serving citizens of their area. We have some serving Borger, Plainview, Potter and Randall County, Cactus, ... pretty much all of the Panhandle," Smith said.

The five-month-long program began Oct. 5, 2021, and incorporated 800 hours of training.

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The first Panhandle Regional Law Enforcement Academy class was conducted in 1968 with nine recruits. That inaugural class lasted less than one month and comprised only 150 classroom hours.

Today, the Basic Peace Officer Course consists of 42 sections of instruction, including the Texas Penal Code, and focuses on such topics as defensive tactics, firearms, emergency vehicle operation, crisis intervention, traffic law, physical fitness, and arrest, search and seizure.

Graduate Jacob Cochran, who has a position with the Randall County Sheriff's Office, shared what he was most excited about.

"I'm really excited to start using what I've learned to help the community, to start being proactive, and using what I've learned and worked hard for," Cochran said.

PRLEA is conducted yearly as a part of Amarillo College's Criminal Justice programs. Anyone interested in learning more about the PRLEA is asked to call (806) 354-6081 or visit www.actx.edu/cj. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify.