Texas Border Business
By Joey Gomez
RIO GRANDE CITY, Texas – South Texas College’s first-ever Police Academy cohort in Starr County is already making an impact close to home, with three graduates now serving together as officers in the Rio Grande City Police Department.
Litzy Landa, Roberto Galvan and Fredrick Perez all agree that serving the community where they grew up is more than just a career. It’s a promise made to the region that helped shape them.
Just months after completing STC’s academy in February 2026, the officers now patrol the same community where they were raised, turning a shared commitment to public service into careers protecting their hometown.
Their journey also marks a milestone for STC and the new academy, which was established to make law enforcement training more accessible for residents who previously had to travel long distances to pursue their profession.
“I wanted to work with my community, with the people I grew up with,” Landa said. “STC has given me the ability to help the people I care about deeply.”
The comprehensive 26-week academy prepares aspiring police officers with firearms and defensive tactics training, criminal and traffic law instruction and hands-on public safety experience. Students complete most coursework at STC’s Starr County Campus while also training at the college’s Regional Center for Public Safety Excellence in Pharr, which houses advanced driving, firearms simulation and additional training resources.
For Landa, the new academy removed what had long been the biggest obstacle to pursuing her dream.
Coming from a family of law enforcement officers, Landa said she had dreams of entering the academy since 2022, but commuting to Hidalgo County proved difficult. When STC announced a police academy close to home, she saw her opportunity.
Landa said she found herself surrounded by classmates with shared connections and common goals.
“If felt more like a family,” she said. “It helped me open up and realize what I was capable of. It’s an awesome feeling when people tell us they feel safer knowing we are out there. Being able to help families and even save lives makes everything worth it.”
RGC police officer and STC Police Academy graduate Roberto Galvan shares a similar path.
Also inspired by family members in law enforcement, including his brother, Galvan had always envisioned wearing a badge. Having an academy in Starr County allowed him to pursue that goal without relocating, while also taking advantage of financial aid and academic resources through STC.
“Everything that I needed in the field, I was taught by STC,” Galvan said. “Everything that I learned there is showing up here in the field. This is my opportunity to give back.”
As another police academy graduate, Fredrick Perez said he initially earned a bachelor’s degree in politics and law before enrolling at STC.
Perez said joining the inaugural academy also carried a sense of responsibility.
He credits academy instructors for preparing cadets beyond the classroom by sharing real-world experiences that continue to help them while on patrol.
“We all have that mindset that all eyes are upon us, and we want to set that professional standard for the students that come after us,” Perez said, speaking for the initial cohort of academy graduates. “Our instructors here taught us that we can’t learn everything from a book, and so their experience played a major role in our success, which I will always be thankful for.”
Now working side by side on the Rio Grande City police force, the three officers hope their story encourages others across Starr County to pursue careers in public service, especially now that STC has given them the resources to accomplish their goals.
“It has been an honor to be a part of the first cohort,” Landa said. “Don’t ever give up on your dreams. If serving your community is what you want to do, go out there and do it. STC can help you get there.”
Information source: STC
