10/30/19
HAYS, Kan. – Fort Hays State University’s Delta Tau Omega chapter of the national criminal justice association recently hosted a regional conference.

An impressive number of 112 students and faculty attended the conference. A total of seven schools from Region 3 –Fort Hays State, Garden City Community College, University of Central Missouri and Central Methodist University, Peru State College and Metropolitan Community College, University of Colorado, Colorado Springs – of The American Criminal Justice Association were in attendance.

Students competed in written testing, crime scene competition, research poster presentations, physical agility competition, and shooting competition at the Hays City Sportsmen’s Club.

Fort Hays State students won eight firsts, seven seconds, and eight thirds.

 “Keynote speaker Lt. David Swavely from the Jefferson County Colorado, sheriff’s office gave an inspiring speech about his time in law enforcement and three steps to self-care,” said Dr. Tamera Lynn, interim chair at the Department of Criminal Justice. “Lt. Swavely was a first-responder to three school shootings: Columbine High School, Deer Creek Middle School, and the Highlands Ranch STEM School.”

Local law enforcement agencies facilitated various conference events. The Hays Police Department held the shooting competition, Ellis County Sheriff's Office and University Police Department the Crime scene competition, and Kansas Highway Patrol ran the physical agility competition.

“Thanks to the involvement of these agencies and our fellow students, this conference was deemed a success,” said Lynn.