Criminal Justice & Public Safety Expo Draws Hundreds of High School Students
October 23, 2024
Hundreds of high school and students visited the campus on Friday, Oct. 25, 2024, for the annual event now known as the Criminal Justice & Public Safety Expo.
These potential future first responders received a lot more than the usual tour. They engaged with police officers, firefighters, EMTs, state troopers, federal agents, and other public safety, law enforcement and criminal justice professionals.
"We want to bring them together, we want to build that trust," said Dr. Aaron Bartula, an associate professor in the UNT Dallas Dept. of Criminal Justice and Sociology.
The expo attracts prospective students interested in public safety and related professions, including as a police officer, firefighter, paramedic/EMT, FBI, DEA, TSA and Secret Service agent, and corrections or parole officer, among other roles. A large contingent of cuurent first responders welcomed the students, offering interactive demonstrations, sharing stories about their real-life experiences, and providing valuable career advice.
The Department of Criminal Justice and Sociology hosts the event, now in its 8th year. The department offers several undergraduate and graduate level programs focused on emergency service administration, criminal justice, social policy, and mental health, including an innovative new Master of Science in Criminal Justice with a Concentration in Justice and Mental Health Policy, which launched in the Fall 2024 semester.
"There's no other event that brings recruiters from these agencies, the academic components, the programs that help prepare these young people and then all of the assets together in one space," said Dr. Eric Coleman, a senior lecturer in the Dept. of Criminal Justice and Society.
In addition to students, the expo was open to their families and community members. It is an opportunity to not only meet law enforcement, emergency services, and criminal justice professionals in-person, but to see their tools and technology up close. They ranged from SWAT vehicles, bomb removal robots, and mobile command centers to fire engines, ambulances, helicopters and drones, plus handheld and worn gear.
Participants included federal agents, state troopers, local patrol officers, sheriff’s deputies, detectives, crime scene investigators, firefighters, emergency medical technicians, search and rescue teams, K-9 units, and individuals who operate specialized vehicles, along with their equipment and apparatus.
You could see the excitement on students' faces as they learned that public safety and criminal justice is not just about the "bad stuff." Many of these public servants are role models in their communities and take great pride in recruiting the next generation.
As UNT Dallas is strongly rooted in the community, organizers say it’s a win for everyone – students get hands-on practice and network with safety and justice leaders. At the same time, the organizations strengthen their bonds with the community.