Texas Border Business
By Selene Rodriguez
The South Texas College Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence invites all females interested in joining STC’s Police Academy to receive free training for the physical entry exam.
From now through the end of June, STC’s Law Enforcement Instructor Jennifer Rosillo will be welcoming all women interested in becoming a peace officer for weekly exercise and equipment training to become familiar with the requirements of the academy’s physical entry exam.
“We know the physical portion of the entry exam can be intimidating, but everybody is welcome to stop by and experience the activities we do in the academy,” said Rosillo. “I design my workout sessions according to each individual’s needs; we’re here to help people meet their goals.”
STC offers a 22-week full-time Police Academy and a part-time Academy completed in two semesters and a 12-week minimester.
To enroll in the academy, applicants must pass a polygraph examination, or lie detector test, submit fingerprints and pass a physical agility test, which consist of rowing 2,000 meters with a time frame calculated based on age and weight.
“I use the rowing machine in every single one of my workouts because most agencies also require a rowing test for their entry exam. As an instructor, I try to implement it as much as I can to help my students get hired by the time they graduate,” said Rosillo.
With almost 10 years of law enforcement experience, one of Rosillo’s most important career goals is to encourage and help as many women as she can to join the force. She continuously advices her female students to focus on upper body strength and prioritizes exercises such as burpees or pull-ups when training women.
“It’s really important to be physically fit, but especially for women. I can’t stress enough how important it is for female officers to have upper body strength because we might have to encounter somebody that’s bigger than us and we can’t let that stop us,” she said.
STC graduate Clarissa Cavazos showed her appreciation for Rosillo’s physical training, which ultimately helped her finish the academy in 2021.
“She motivated me and pushed me to exceed my own expectations. She’s the kind of instructor that will always make herself available to all students, even in her personal time. She really believes in us and encourages us to be better,” Cavazos said.
STC’s Police Academy requires 31 hours of physical activity. Rosillo said she has found that group workouts and changing up exercises in every session are powerful ways to motivate her students.
“Some of the cadets start the program with no workout experience or suffer from past injuries that restrict them from doing certain exercises, but I work with them to find what fits them,” she said. “Being physically fit is a process, it’s not going to happen overnight, but the more they practice, the better they’re going to become at it.”
Nicole Gonzalez, who has recently visited the Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence to train with Rosillo, is currently in the process of applying to the police academy.
“I love the workouts; I’ve always been interested in the rowing machine that’s in my gym, but I was a bit afraid to use it. Instructor Rosillo has taught me so much in just a couple of weeks and now I know how to make the best out of my workouts,” said Gonzalez. “I have always wanted to apply to the academy to become a police officer, but I didn’t know how to start, now I’m on my way.”
Applications for the 32nd Police Academy that will begin July 10, are now being accepted through May 29.
For more information on the STC Police Academy and other programs offered at the Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence, visit southtexascollege.edu/rcpse/ or call 956-872-4208.
