Texas Border Business
By Joey Gomez
RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas – For cousins Homer Flores and Miguel Vasquez, the journey to becoming peace officers has always been about more than a career. Earning the badge has been about family, grit and a shared commitment to serving the community they call home.
Their dream came full circle recently as both graduated together from the first-ever Starr County Police Academy, part of a historic cohort of nine cadets who are now preparing to serve across the region.
As members of the graduating class, both men are preparing to transition from corrections officers to patrol with the Starr County Sheriff’s Office and hope their story inspires others considering a career in law enforcement.
For Flores, the path to law enforcement began years earlier at the Starr County Jail, where he began earning valuable experience in 2020. Inspired by his father, a longtime captain with the Starr County Sheriff’s Office, Flores said he always envisioned a future in public safety and encouraged Vasquez to join him in the academy.
“I started off at the jail and I really liked it. I was getting good experience, so I told Miguel that maybe he should come apply,” Flores said. When we heard the academy was coming to Starr County, I told him we should go together. We worked full-time and came to school full-time.”
Vasquez, who previously worked in the oil fields before transitioning to corrections, said the opportunity allowed him to return to a long-standing interest in Criminal Justice with the dream to build a lasting career.
“The money in the oil fields was good, but it wasn’t a long-term thing I wanted,” Vasquez said. “I had always been intrigued by Criminal Justice, so when he (Flores) told me about the opportunity at the jail and later the academy, I just took that step. Now we’re here getting ready to head out into the field.”
The 26-week academy offered through STC provides comprehensive training for aspiring law enforcement officers including firearms and defensive tactics, as well as criminal and traffic law.
While most coursework takes place at the Starr County campus, cadets also train using advanced technology at STC’s Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence (RCPSE) in Pharr, which features a state-of-the-art shooting simulator, driving simulator and immersive virtual reality training.
The cousins said they leaned on each other throughout the demands of training. Their days often began early with academy coursework and ended late after work shifts, sometimes traveling between both campuses in Rio Grande City and Pharr.
In between, they studied together, quizzed each other and stayed focused on their goal.
“We spent about 16 hours a day together between the academy and work,” Flores said. “If one of us had a question, we’d run it by each other. We made sure we stayed on the same page and kept up with the standards.”
Balancing training with personal responsibilities required discipline with sacrifice. Flores, a father of two young children, said having the academy in Starr made the journey manageable.
“Being able to attend close to home was a big factor for me,” he said. “It helped me balance family, work and school. It wasn’t easy, but it was worth it.”
For Vasquez, the experience reinforced the importance of perseverance and support.
“You’re going to have challenges, but you push through,” Vasquez said. “You develop your own support system with family, friends and fellow cadets. That’s what gets you through.”
For more information about the STC Police Academy, visit southtexascollege.edu/academics/law-enforcement/academy.html.
