By Wally Kennedy

wkennedy@joplinglobe.com

At age 17, Hayden Miller is on a fast track for a career in law enforcement.

“I have always known that I wanted to be in law enforcement when I graduate,’’ said the senior from Springdale (Ark.) High School.

“Enrolling in the Law & Public Safety Academy at my high school was a nice opportunity to get some advancement,” he said. “This career fair will give me even more advancement.’’

Miller, now in the third year of his school’s law academy, was among more than 300 students who attended a career fair and open house Wednesday at the Mills Anderson Justice Center at Missouri Southern State University in Joplin.

“Ever since 9-11, I have had a sense that I wanted to do something for my country,’’ he said.

Officer Mike Hignite, with the Springdale Police Department, is the resource officer for the school’s academy. He said 90 students traveled from Springdale for their first visit to Southern’s annual criminal-justice fair.

“Our program is now in its seventh year and many of our graduates are just now getting old enough — age 21 — to get jobs in law enforcement,’’ he said. “One of our graduates is a student in the program here (MSSU).’’

“The Springdale Police Department and the high school formed this partnership so that law-enforcement employees could get into the work force quicker. The department recognized it was hard to get good, qualified applicants.’’

Hignite said popular television shows, such as “Law & Order’’ and “CSI Miami’’ have triggered student interest in law enforcement. “But we dispel a lot of the glamour when they get into our program. We stress community service,’’ he said.

The open house featured a tour of the center, including demonstrations in the crime-scene investigation room, firing range, computerized shooting systems and other technology. Students also got to meet the center’s faculty.

The organizers were expecting about 230 students to attend. More than 300 showed up.

Richard Spencer, assistant professor of criminal justice at MSSU, said, “We have had a great turnout. It was considerably more than we expected. We have students from most every high school in the area and all four states.’’

Spencer said the popularity of crime-related TV shows has helped particular majors.