Danette Sandoval ’94 ’96 was 18 years old when a home invasion gone wrong changed her life. One night, the teenager was surprised by a burglar in the process of robbing her house. He shot her in the back of the neck and left her for dead.

Sandoval survived her injury and through the long process of physical and emotional recovery, the young woman stayed active in her assailant’s case filling out police reports, examining mug books and participating in the trials against her assailant.

Rather than leave her fearful and broken, the incident instead spurred Sandoval’s desire to help other victims get justice. That terrible night motivated her to build a successful career as an investigative analyst. At New Mexico State University, she gained the knowledge and skills to become one of the best in her field.

Sandoval is now the investigative supervisory analyst with the New Mexico State Police Investigations Bureau, a position she has held for the last 14 years.

“Our unit’s mission is to aid in the identification, location, arrest and prosecution of criminals as well as providing investigators with extensive criminal history and background information on suspects so we know what we’re dealing with,” Sandoval says.

The bureau covers cases across the entire state and assists with other agencies’ investigations. Sandoval is one of three analysts in her unit who works with a wide range of crimes, from identity theft to multiple homicides and everything in between.

Enrolling at NMSU, six years after graduating high school, Sandoval went on to receive her bachelor’s in psychology with a minor in business administration and a master’s degree in criminal justice.

“I felt that studying psychology and criminal justice together was a good combination. You can really better understand human behavior and what motivates people to commit crimes,” she says.

In addition to the education that prepared her for her career, Sandoval taught a victimology course as a graduate assistant under criminal justice professor Latham Winfree, a skill vital to her work today. Sandoval is part of the adjunct faculty at NMSU where she teaches investigative analysis.

“The thing I love most about my job is being able to help put bad guys in jail,” Sandoval says. “From the incident when I was 18, I was left with a bullet lodged in my right cheek; it’s a reminder of why I do what I do; it’s where my passion for my job comes from and helping people who have been through what I went through is extremely gratifying.”

Another criminal justice alumna merged her love of biology with her desire to help others. Noreen Purcell ’88 ’92 wanted to become a veterinarian, taking her first courses at NMSU in biology. Just one elective course in the criminal justice department changed her mind.

“After taking a criminalistics course I thought, ‘this is great. This is what I want to do,’” Purcell says.

After receiving her bachelor’s in biology and her master’s in criminal justice, Purcell took a job with New Mexico’s Department of Public Safety, where she could use both of her degrees.

Prior to working with the New Mexico DPS Forensic Laboratory, Purcell worked with the medical investigator’s office as a part time field investigator and a private toxicology lab conducting forensic drug testing. At DPS Purcell worked for seven years with the controlled substance drug unit. She then moved to another discipline in the department studying and testing DNA, her focus while completing her master’s degree. Purcell was soon promoted to supervisor and tech leader for the unit.

“During my graduate studies, I knew right away I wanted to work in the DNA field. To work with DNA and be the technical leader, you have to have your master’s degree,” says Purcell, who credits her success to NMSU professors Ron Pincomb, Winfree, G. Larry Mays and Peter J. Lammers.

Purcell held supervising positions in various units with the department over the next few years including the fingerprint and firearm unit.

Last year, Purcell was promoted again, this time to lab director of the forensic lab bureau and her office is located at the DPS headquarters in Santa Fe. Purcell oversees labs in Santa Fe, Las Cruces and Hobbs.

“This position is very different from my previous jobs,” Purcell says. “It has its own set of challenges. As an analyst I knew I could make a difference in individual cases. As a director, I have to think globally about how to improve public safety as a whole.”

“What we do in the lab is nothing like what people see on TV shows like ‘C.S.I.,’” Purcell says. “It’s not glamorous and it’s very challenging. It’s not great pay; but for people who want to do public service and make a difference, it’s worth it.”

From a young age, Carlos Valles ’06 knew he wanted a career in law enforcement. As a special agent for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, Valles is the first in his family to follow this path.

“I chose criminal justice because I knew that I ultimately wanted to be a federal law enforcement officer,” Valles says. “I knew that obtaining a career in this field would complement my personality and allow me to serve my community and country.”

Valles received dual bachelor’s degrees in criminal justice and Spanish. He credits NMSU professors Hank DiMatteo, Daniel Villa, Cecilia Pino and Keith Akins for helping shape his passion and knowledge of the profession. While attending NMSU, Valles interned with U.S. Probation and Pretrial Services.

“The internship provided for an excellent learning experience in the federal criminal justice system and gave me some experience to be able to add to my resume,” Valles says.

After graduation, Valles took a job with the U.S. Department of Homeland Security as a Border Patrol agent before landing a position with the U.S. Department of Justice as a special agent.

“As a Border Patrol agent, I learned a great deal of discipline and formed a solid proactive law enforcement mentality,” Valles says. “I learned and practiced concepts such as officer safety and awareness and learned to appreciate what federal law enforcement officers do on a daily basis, many times putting their own lives on the line.”

In his role as a Justice Department special agent, Valles investigates violations of federal firearms laws in addition to other federal violations. He admits investigators need more than classroom training to be effective law enforcement officers, but he credits NMSU with the core understanding of the law that still helps him today.

“Hands-on experience is worth its weight in gold,” Valles says. “But I feel that I was very prepared for the real-world as a result of my education at NMSU. I knew that by learning how our criminal justice system works and knowing the concepts of all aspects of the criminal justice system it would better prepare me for my career.”

Founded in 1962, New Mexico State University’s Department of Criminal Justice is one of the oldest criminal justice programs in the nation. The largest academic department in the College of Arts and Sciences, the program has more than 700 undergraduates and another 100 master’s students; producing qualified and knowledgeable graduates who are prepared for all facets in the field and help keep our border and communities around the nation safe.