Nearly high school 100 students from across the state came to Jefferson City on Thursday for training to enter the law enforcement field.
It's the second year students have used the Missouri Highway Patrol training facilities at the Ike Skelton Training Center for the program. Only 50 qualified last year. This year, students from 12 schools from across the state attended.
The students had to pass tests prior to being selected for the training, which is sponsored by the Missouri Peace Officers Association.
Along with taking oral exams, the students were put through various scenarios.
"We have a traffic stop set up where they have to pull over a person for speeding," Association Executive Director Maj. Dale Schmidt said. "They'll be judged on how they conduct themselves and potentially doing a search of the vehicle. We also have crime scenes where the students must find evidence that can help solve a crime such as locating blood and bullet shell casings."
Former and current law officers conducted the testing and evaluations. The students are looking to enter not only law enforcement but also probation and parole and corrections fields.
The students receive instruction in areas such as law enforcement history, trial proceedings, juvenile justice, arrest procedures and ethics of law enforcement officers.