UNK students get hands-on look at law enforcement during State Patrol Experience Day

KEARNEY, Neb. — Students at the University of Nebraska at Kearney had the chance to get a hands-on look at careers in law enforcement during Nebraska State Patrol Experience Day on campus.

The event, hosted by the UNK Department of Criminal Justice, brought troopers and specialized units to campus to demonstrate the wide range of work done by the Nebraska State Patrol.

Students participated in activities like a crime scene investigation walkthrough and learned about what a typical day as a state trooper looks like.

Troopers showcased several specialized divisions, including the SWAT team, bomb squad, canine unit, drone program and patrol vehicles. A Nebraska State Patrol helicopter also landed on campus as part of the demonstrations.

Trooper Aaron Scott said events like this help introduce the next generation of law enforcement professionals to the field.

“We’re excited to see interest in law enforcement and especially with the Nebraska State Patrol,” said Scott. “Whether people are interested in joining the State Patrol or another agency, we like being able to showcase our expertise and the specialized divisions that help keep the public safe.”

The event also gave students the chance to speak directly with troopers and ask questions about potential careers in law enforcement.

Teresa Watkins, chair of UNK’s Criminal Justice Department, said the event was inspired by a similar program held at another Nebraska university.

“Well actually they had an event similar to this in Chadron, so I took a couple students up there to Chadron and then said, ‘Well why don’t we do that in Kearney?’ And so I just worked with them so that they were able to do it here, and it’s a perfect location because it’s more centralized," said Watkins.

She said students were excited about the opportunity to learn more about the many roles within the agency.

“I think a lot of people think if you join the Nebraska State Patrol you’re just going to be a trooper, which is a great job,” said Watkins. “And there are so many other divisions that you can also be a part of, and getting to see some of that today was really enlightening.”

She said the event also gave students the chance to connect directly with troopers.

“They get that opportunity to talk to the troopers, ask them questions, and the troopers have all been so accommodating and just so friendly and easy to talk to,” Watkins said. “So it’s been a great experience. Our students seem to love it.”

Watkins added that events like this help strengthen partnerships between the university and agencies that many students hope to work for after graduation.

“I think it’s really nice when the university can have good partnerships with some of the other state agencies, especially those agencies that our students are interested in getting jobs with,” she said.