The TPSA Competitive Events are a series of events that are held at the TPSA to provide a platform for the students to learn and compete in various events.
The scenario will be based on a high priority call. The call taker will gather all pertinent information necessary to relay to first responders while at the same time reassuring the caller and keeping the caller calm. The purpose of this event is to allow the student to realize the important role of the ETC (Emergency Telecommunicator) when receiving a call for help.
This is a physically demanding event, preparing students for the rigors of law enforcement patrol. This event is structured similar to the LawFit challenge.To encourage students to develop endurance, muscle coordination, and mental acuity demonstrated by police officers in real world scenarios.
This event will consist of a 4-person team with one person designated as the lead officer to the Judge. The team will be dispatched a scenario that will require them to enter and clear a building with an open door. The team will advise dispatch they are on scene, approach the building, safely enter, search and secure the building along with any suspects. The scenario will require the use of critical thinking skills. The performance will be timed and evaluated according to the event guidelines. This event will encourage students to improve their officer safety, search, and decision-making skills in a manner that will challenge them in real-world law enforcement scenarios.
The team will evaluate, diagram, photograph, and properly complete the CR-3 (Crash Report) for a mock crash scene. Students will interview all persons involved. Each team member will be responsible for specific duties. Teams must terminate their investigation and submit their CR-3 and photographs to the judge prior to the expiration of time. To provide students the opportunity to demonstrate investigative, diagramming/sketching, photographing, and documenting a crash scene; in compliance with the Texas Department of Transportation’s crash reporting requirements.
This event will consist of a two student team responding to a disturbance call as a team of patrol officers. The competitors will be responsible for de-escalating the situation, interviewing witnesses, suspects, and/or victims to determine the nature of the incident. There will be no forensic activities in this event. A judge will observe all portions of this event. The scenario will require the use of critical thinking skills. The performance will be timed and evaluated according to the event guidelines. To encourage criminal justice students to improve their problem-solving, decision-making, and oral and written communication skills in the area of a criminal investigation.
A team of four (4) students will simulate a high risk traffic stop related to a felony offense. Students will utilize two (2) patrol vehicles to accurately and safely detain suspects (actors) in the simulation. Students will demonstrate their skills through proper radio communications, verbal commands and execution the felony stop based upon contemporary applicable skills. To encourage students to develop the skill sets, communication skills and safety precautions required by police officers as they conduct a felony traffic stop. Students will be able to demonstrate safety skills, proper handling of dangerous persons and work as an effective team.
To encourage students to develop physical coordination, endurance, safety precautions, mental recollection and radio communication skills by participation in a simulated foot pursuit. Students will demonstrate communication skills and safety precautions required by police officers as they pursue a suspect on foot. Students will be able to demonstrate safety skills, proper handling of dangerous persons, proper suspect identification and arrest. The event will reflect actions demonstrated by police officers in real world scenarios.
The Report Writing event will consist of two parts. During part one competitors will watch a video containing the scenario for the police report. The competitors will be provided with information pertaining to the suspect(s), the victim(s) (i.e. DL/ID#, name, d.o.b. address, etc.) and the complaint/offense. During part two the competitors will complete the police report on their laptop using only their field notes. The scenario will require the use of critical thinking and recollection skills. The performance will be timed and evaluated according to the event guidelines. Writing a detailed report is important part of an officer’s job. Reports provide investigators the necessary information to follow through on the case. It is imperative for officers to be able to document details and accurate facts in their reports. A report is an official record of the case file and will be presented in a court of law. Poorly written reports could result in the officer looking incompetent in court.
This event will consist of a 6-person team. The team leader must be designated and identified to the judge. The event scenario will be either a shots already fired call or an officer down call.The scenario will require the use of critical thinking skills. The performance will be timed and evaluated according to the event guidelines. This event tests the team’s ability to plan and execute a SWAT callout. The event will challenge each team’s ability to plan an operation, entry or callout techniques, movement through the structure, and apprehension of any suspects or safe recovery of the downed officer.
This is an individual event. Competitors will simulate a traffic stop related to a misdemeanor traffic violation. Students will utilize one (1) patrol vehicle to conduct a traffic stop on a violator vehicle in the simulation. Students will demonstrate their skills through proper radio communications, verbal commands and execute the traffic stop based upon contemporary applicable skills. The event will be timed and evaluated according to the event guidelines. To encourage students to develop the skill sets, communication skills and safety precautions required by police officers as they conduct a traffic stop. Students will be able to demonstrate safety skills, proper communication, to include de-escalation techniques, professional interpersonal skills and the completion of a traffic citation.
This event will consist of competitors completing a rigorous agility course designed to test strength and endurance. Competitors will complete four (4) challenges in this event. This event will encourage students to develop physical coordination and endurance by participation in a firefighter agility course which simulates physical tactics that a firefighter might encounter during a real-world emergency and employment testing scenarios.
This event will consist of four (4) competitors working as a team to complete a rigorous agility course designed to test teamwork, strength and endurance. Competitors will complete four (4) challenges in this event. This event will encourage students to develop physical coordination and endurance by participation in a firefighter agility course which simulates physical tactics that a firefighter might encounter during a real-world emergency and employment testing scenarios.
This event will consist of competitors donning fire bunker gear properly and as quickly as possible. The performance will be timed and evaluated according to the event guidelines. To encourage students to develop the skills to don firefighter protective gear properly and quickly as they would do in a real world practical application.
This event will consist of competitors being given a pre-determined medical or trauma scenario of a simulated emergency scene. The scenario will be designed to test the proper skills of scene assessment, safety, patient assessment, first aid application and CPR/AED demonstration. The performance will be evaluated according to the event guidelines. To encourage students to develop the skills necessary for responding to a medical emergency as a Firefighter First Responder as they would do in a real world practical application.
This event will consist of competitors conducting a primary search of an area set up as a maze. The competitor's challenge is to locate the baby and rescue the baby in a safe and timely manner. Tools/equipment will be placed randomly in the maze and competitors must memorize the items as they encounter them. Competitor will have to recite all tools/equipment they encountered during the search at the event completion. The maze entry and exit door/area will be the same. This event will encourage students to develop the physical, mental and sensory skills to conduct a successful search of an area under simulated zero visibility conditions in a manner that will challenge them in real-world firefighting scenarios.
Competitors will attempt to correctly identify 20 bones from the human body as quickly as possible. To encourage criminal justice students to demonstrate and improve their ability in properly identifying bones.
Competitors will determine a point of origin for a bloodstain using direction, angle of impact, trajectory, and stringing. The event will be timed and evaluated according to event guidelines. The purpose of Blood Spatter Analysis event is to encourage criminal justice students to demonstrate their ability to properly analyze blood stain patterns based on source, direction, angle of impact, and trajectory.
Students will identify, secure, and process a mock crime scene. The event will be timed and evaluated according to event guidelines. To encourage students to improve their ability to properly secure, search, diagram, photograph,and document a crime scene.
Competitors will analyze a fiber sample to determine the origin based on microscopic characteristics.They will justify their choice, in a written conclusion, based on cuticle pattern, medulla pattern, pigment distribution, chemical tests and microscopic analysis.The competitor will then conduct analysis on the suspect fiber to match it to a known reference sample. To encourage criminal justice students to demonstrate and improve their ability in properly analyzing and identifying the characteristics of fibers.
This event will consist of two phases of competition for a one person team. Phase one will consist of the location and collection of a latent print from a selection of two items. Competitors who advance to phase two will complete a fingerprint analysis activity requiring the competitor to match known and unknown prints along with identifying minutiae. The event will be timed and evaluated according to event guidelines. This event will measure the student competitors; knowledge, skill, and ability to process a fingerprint from discovery through laboratory analysis and reporting.
This event will consist of an activation of the cell extraction team after an inmate has refused to comply with detention officers in a jail setting. The event will utilize a six (6) person team, with each member having designated duties as described below. The team will be required to deescalate the situation and safely extract the inmate from the cell. The performance will be timed and evaluated according to the event guidelines. Competitors will be able to effectively demonstrate an activation of the cell extraction team. This event will allow each member of the team to demonstrate their specific responsibility on the team. Higher-order thinking skills will be incorporated as appropriate to control the inmate and maintain the safety of the officers. The event will help students develop skill sets that will challenge them in real-world law enforcement scenarios
Design a Correctional Institution that is not in violation of the United States Constitution. Designs and demonstrative items may not be used for more than one year of competition. The Correctional Institute Design competition is designed to expose the student to the field of corrections. The competition will provide the student with opportunities to learn about the prison system and the rules and regulations that go into designing and operating a correctional facility.
Student will “book in” an inmate in a safe manner, properly search the inmate, inventory property, and fingerprint the inmate. The purpose of the Inmate Processing event is to improve the students’ knowledge of the process to book in an inmate properly.
This event will consist of two parts. During Part One competitors will be provided with a criminal case file to review and prepare a closing argument. Competitors will have thirty (30) minutes to prepare their argument. Competitors may choose to present the case as the Prosecuting Attorney or the Defense Attorney. There will be no points assessed in Part One. During Part Two competitors will have five (5) minutes to present the Closing Argument to a panel of judges in a simulated courtroom. To encourage criminal justice students to improve their ability to properly present a closing argument for a criminal case in a court of law.
This event will consist of two parts. During Part One competitors will be provided with a criminal case file to review and prepare an opening statement. Competitors will have thirty (30) minutes to prepare their statement. Competitors may choose to present the case as the Prosecuting Attorney or the Defense Attorney. There will be no points assessed in Part One. During Part Two competitors will have five (5) minutes to present the Opening Statement to a panel of judges in a simulated courtroom. To encourage criminal justice students to improve their ability to properly present an opening statement for a criminal case in a court of law.
This event will consist of two parts. During Part One competitors will be given a scenario in which they will prepare predicate questions to qualify an expert witness. Competitors will have twenty (20) minutes to prepare their questions. There will be no points assessed in Part One. During Part Two competitors will meet with the expert witness in front of a panel of judges and qualify the witness with their predicate questions. Competitors will have ten (10) minutes to qualify the witness. To encourage criminal justice students to improve their ability to properly qualify a scientist as a testimonial expert witness in a court of law.
Competitors will complete the provided application at the end of this document for the supplied job posting, create a one (1) page resume, participate in a five (5) minute interview, and complete a ten (10) minute written multiple choice skills test. The purpose of the Job Interview event is to provide LPSCS students an opportunity to demonstrate their ability to acquire a job from start to finish.
TPSA is committed to creating and maintaining a healthy and respectful environment for all of our members. Our philosophy is to ensure all members, regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, sexual orientation, or socio-economic status are treated equally and respectfully. Any behavior in the form of discrimination, harassment, or bullying will not be tolerated. It is the responsibility of all members to uphold and contribute to this climate.