Answering the call of duty

Amanda Strickland is a recent graduate of the Texas Department of Public Safety Academy at Austin. Strickland, 29, was one of only 21 females, the most in one recruit class, who recently graduated with the largest recruit class in the department’s history.

Strickland is a graduate of Woodson High School and earned a Bachelor’s degree in Geology at Tarleton State University. She was on the rodeo team while at Tarleton and participated in break-away roping and team roping.

Strickland had decided to return to college to complete her Master’s degree, but after a year-long process, Strickland earned a slot in the upcoming class at the DPS academy.

Of the 186 applicants accepted to the academy, only 145 completed the program and graduated July 30. Completing the academy is a 6-month process with a variety of testing, including both psychological and physical exams, which test mental and physical capacity.

Strickland explained many prospective recruits end their chance before they even get started. She said investigators are disbursed to hometowns to interview neighbors, teachers and classmates of prospective troopers.

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