On Oct. 26, UTRGV’s American Criminal Justice Association (ACJA) chapter, Iota Kappa Chi, hosted the Region 2 Conference, where students from chapters across Texas competed in criminal justice challenges.
One hundred ten students from UTRGV and three other universities competed over three days. Forty-five of the students were from UTRGV’s ACJA chapter.
UTRGV’s ACJA students have been preparing since November of last year to host the event. The organization’s members raised more than $10,000.
Joining UTRGV at the competition on South Padre Island were students from the University of North Texas, Sam Houston State University and Collin College. Iota Kappa Chi participated in a couple of events since they were the host.
“Thursday, they just had a general opening session,” said criminal justice Lecturer I Mary King, who attended the competition. The event consisted of physical and knowledge tests.
Friday’s event was a shooting competition at a Cameron County shooting range. They also were tested on physical agility.
“That was put on by a [Cameron County] SWAT team, including a half-mile run, eight stations of squats, and lunges, and pushups and flipping over monster truck tires,” King said.
The test was strenuous enough that emergency medical technicians were kept onsite. The majority of competitors were not able to finish the courses.
On Saturday, students were tested on their knowledge skills. The organization also recreated a realistic crime scene of a dead mother and child. Competitors had to figure out how the two died.
Nu Tau, UNT’s chapter, won overall shooting. Iota Kappa Chi scored higher in the physical agility competition. UTRGV’s Ashley Villarreal won first place and Erika Reyes won second place in the women’s division (ages 18-25) physical agility competition.
All tests, except shooting, took place on South Padre Island. The physical tests took place at the beach. Knowledge testing and crime scene investigation events were conducted in the hotel.
UTRGV’s ACJA chapter has attended twice before. However, this is the first time UTRGV students have hosted the event.
“We had the national president from Delaware come to the conference and the regional president from New Mexico come,” King said.
The chapter prepared by completing firearms and physical training.
“We did drills that some of the members may experience in their law enforcement careers such as cardio training, endurance, bodyweight training,” said Ryan Lozano, ACJA vice president. “Last year, we were a little bit more tougher. We did have obstacles that we went through, such as we had to jump over walls. We had to go underneath barriers … things of that nature.”
Members raised funds for the competition with events including car washes, T-shirt sales and a rodeo.
Iota Kappa Chi members are also involved in other activities. The organization participates in numerous community service events, including National Night out in Monte Alto, Boo at the Zoo, Wing Fest in Edinburg and Sombrero Fest in Brownsville.
“The students did amazing and put so much work and effort into it,” King said.
For more information, contact King at mary.jordan@utrgv.edu.
