The Law Enforcement, EMT, and Firefighting teams hosted the Regional competition Dec. 6.

“Lampasas High School competed in eight events at the TXPSTA (Texas Public Service Teacher Association) Regional Competition held at Lampasas High School,” law enforcement coach Michael Tatum said. “The LHS law enforcement team delivered an outstanding performance, earning five 1st Place awards in Male Agility, Female Agility, Domestic Crisis Intervention, Building Search, and Fingerprint Lifting. The team also secured 2nd Place awards in Intoxicated Driver and Felony Traffic Stop, along with 3rd Place finishes in Building Search, Intoxicated Driver, and Cell Extraction. I couldn’t be happier with the results.”

This year’s regional competition included thirteen participating teams.

“Our team will continue to work diligently over the next couple of months as we prepare for the state competition, which will be held in Houston at Lone Star College on Feb. 21, 2026,” Tatum said. “The students trained daily for their events and built strong bonds with their teammates throughout the season.” 

Tatum said that as their coach, he focuses on ensuring that his team is always prepared.

“This year was a rebuilding year for our program, and I am proud of the significant progress they made from week to week,” Tatum said. “Their dedication, discipline, and commitment to improvement truly set them apart.”

Junior Angelina Tice competed in Cell Extraction and Intoxicated Driver.

“I felt accomplished,” Tice said. “I’ve never won anything before in high school, so to be able to win something in something I worked really hard for proves to me that all I had to do was try, but it felt nerve-racking since I knew that a lot of schools weren’t going to place because there were only 3 places.”

Junior Teagan Reiss competed in the Law Enforcement Female Agility Course, Felony Traffic Stop ,and Building Search.

“I am so unbelievably proud of myself and all of my teammates,” Reiss said. “I was so nervous going into Regionals, but I’m so stoked about going to State in February!”

Reiss placed first in both the Law Enforcement Female Agility Course and Building Search, and placed second in Felony Traffic Stop.

“It was nerve-wracking,” Reiss said. “A lot of teams had really fancy uniforms, or really big teams, and I honestly felt intimidated looking at them.”

Reiss said it was easy for her to feel relaxed before competing because of the relationship she has with the team.

“My favorite part was the awards ceremony,” Reiss said. “Seeing all of us come together and being as excited for our teammates as well as ourselves was such a surreal experience. There was no jealousy or anger if one person placed above another, just pure excitement for our friends.”

Junior Paciencia Aguayo competed in Intoxicated Driver, placing second, and Domestic Crisis, placing first.

‘My team has grown SO MUCH, and I have never been so proud of them,” Aguayo said. “Everyone has put their heart into this. They want to win. They want to do this. They want to be part of the team.”

Senior Max McDonald competed in Building Search and Felony Traffic Stop, getting first with his building team.

“Regionals was nerve-wracking,” McDonald said. “All the other teams seemed to have a sternness and professionalism about them that I was worried I didn’t give off, but overall, I’m glad to have had such strong competition, and I can’t wait to see those who place at State.”

McDonald said he mostly prepared himself for Regionals with energy drinks, about twelve hours of sleep, and an insane amount of practice.

“At the start of the year, I was unsure about the team,” McDonald said. “I was worried we wouldn’t have the bond the team had last year, but as we practiced together and competed together, I could see the characteristics of my teammates that make each individual person great in their own right.”

McDonald said he’s overall thankful to have his team and Tatum.

“My favorite part about Regionals was realizing that those competing against us were just as nervous as we were, being able to meet and mingle with them made me realize that they weren’t stone cold competition, but rather they are just people who hope they can do well,” McDonald said. 

Sophomore Alexa Whitehead competed in Intoxicated Driver and Fingerprinting.

“I feel pretty good about my results,” Whitehead said. “Not winning this year just means I will have time to get better and hopefully win next year.”

Whitehead said her favorite part was seeing everyone’s excitement during and after the awards ceremony.

  “It was like I had known these people for my whole life, how we all were cheering for each other,” Whitehead said. “I’m so glad to have found this team, and I have never felt more included and seen. This team supported me even after I didn’t place, and that alone really made me feel valued. The entire time I’ve been here, from the very start, I felt like I was already getting to know people. This team is amazing, and I hope our team next year is just great!”

Senior Weldon Nesbitt competed in Building Search and Cell Extraction.

“Honestly, I felt pretty underwhelmed with the cell extraction place and kind of upset with the building score, but I just know that we will do better at State,” Nesbitt said.

Nesbitt said he didn’t think about competing with other teams, and he’s in the mindset of competing against himself and how he can do better each time.

“There are a lot of things to say about this team,” Nesbitt said. “Every single person is very special to me and this team just competing at the level we did at Region was extraordinary.”

Nesbitt said the Law Team has shown the utmost dedication and discipline that surprised him.

“Seeing everyone on their very first day, where they couldn’t even put handcuffs on properly, to seeing their beaming faces when claiming their medals was a feeling I couldn’t even explain,” Nesbitt said. “I feel so proud to be Chief of this law team and to have the honor of teaching and even learning with this group of amazing individuals. I could talk for hours about how proud I am of each and every one of them, and I’m sure Mr. Tatum feels the same way.”

Nesbitt said his favorite part of Regionals was the awards ceremony because he got to see all the people he helped train walk across the stage.

“Seeing us not just grow better at our events but grow closer together was nothing less than beautiful and to have found something to bring all these different kinds of people together is something Mr. Tatum always told me was a once in a lifetime experience, and to be honest I didn’t believe him, but looking back on it now, he was right,” Nesbitt said, “I’m so proud of this team, and I wish them all the best of luck at State!”