TYLER, Texas — Tyler Legacy High School senior Dixie Hampe has a big dream she wants to accomplish. She's hoping to become the first female K-9 officer in Smith County.
And right now, she's learning the skills to make that goal a reality as she became the first-ever student intern at the Smith County Jail over the summer.
The internship program is a partnership between the Smith County Sheriff's Office and Tyler ISD that allows criminal law students like Hampe to graduate high school and have a high-paying job in the career of their choice. Through this program, students earn a jailer's license as soon as they graduate. Ten students enrolled last year and 13 are currently enrolled.
“It was such an interesting experience,” Dixie said. “Every day you went to work, you never knew what would happen. It may sound surprising, but that environment made it exciting and even fun at times.”
The Texas Commission on Law Enforcement approved the program and allowed an exception to current rules that required a person to be 18 years old to start training. Normally, a person has to be 21 years old to enter the police academy. Other criminal justice career paths, like prosecutors or defense attorneys, require higher education.
“My coworkers are very understanding of my age and experience level,” Hampe said. “They welcomed me from the start and now treat me like part of the team. It feels like a family who has each other’s backs.”
Tyler ISD Career and Technology teacher Jason Newport said it's important for the school district to champion programs that help juniors and seniors get ready for real life.
“The opportunity for juniors and seniors to leave the classroom and get right to work in a relatively high-paying field can positively impact my students’ future," Newport said.
After her fall internship, Hampe will go back to the classroom to learn about physical combat defensive tactics, classification of inmates, fingerprinting and other criminal procedure skills. Then, she'll be off to pursue her big dream.
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