Ready! Aim! Fire! Trine students hit the mark

Criminal justice students win 29 awards at regional conference

PHOTO CONTRIBUTED
Trine University’s TAO-Tau Alpha Omicron chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association brought home 29 awards at a regional conference Oct. 15 and 16. In front, from left, are Andrew Wilhelm, Alex Simmons, Abby Christman, Julia Nell, Andrew Ross, professor Craig Laker. In back, from left, are professor John Milliken, Dustin Eggert, Preston Howard, Vincent Kessler, David Nichols, Andy Behnfeldt, Amy Van Bonn, Josh Buchs, Steven Sabo and the range master.

ANGOLA — Trine University’s TAO-Tau Alpha Omicron chapter of the American Criminal Justice Association brought home 29 awards from the ACJA 2010 regional conference in Indianapolis Oct. 15 and 16.

Students claimed 22 team and individual awards at the conference of the ACJA, which seeks to improve criminal justice through educational activities, promote professionalism in law enforcement and awareness of criminal justice issues, encourage the expansion of criminal justice education and training, provide a voice for professionals and students of criminal justice and promote high ethical standards in conduct, training and higher education.

“Our students competed against seven different universities from throughout the Midwest,” said Craig Laker, associate professor of criminal justice. “I am proud to see them apply what they learn in our classes so successfully in real world applications.”

Students and professors Craig Laker and John Milliken competed in handgun marksmanship. In upper division team competition, Andrew Behnfeldt, Alex Simmons and Dustin Eggert won first place, and Andrew Ross, Josh Buchs, Vincent Kessler took second place. In the lower division, the team of David Nichols, Preston Howard and Andrew Wilhelm won first place. The team of Julia Nell, Amy Van Bonn and Steven Sabo earned second place. The team of Milliken, Laker and Abby Christman won third place in the professional division.

The team of Ross, Buchs and Eggert won first place and the team of Simmons, Behnfeldt and Kessler won second place in the upper division of crime scene investigation.

In the lower division, the team of Nichols, Howard and Wilhelm won second place. The winning team in the professional division was Christman, Laker, and Milliken.  

 
In physical agility, Behnfeldt placed first, and Buchs placed second for men under 25. Julia Nell won second place, and Abby Christman won third place for women under 25.     

Trine students also fared well on ACJA written exams. Students and faculty won 12 awards — including the top academic award for the chapter with the most placements in all categories.  The written exams covered the criminal justice areas of criminal law, juvenile justice, police management, corrections and LAE knowledge.

 
For the first time in 11 years the TAO chapter won the Spirit Award and the Sweepstakes Award for having the highest number of awards at the conference.

 
Six to nine Trine students will compete in the National ACJA conference March 20-25, 2011, in Memphis, Tenn.