Members of the University community will notice a new, less formal look to non-sworn Department of Public Safety officers. Rather than traditional police-style uniforms, these officers will wear easily recognizable grey polo shirts and pants, with the goal of making them more approachable to all members of the campus community.
DPS Chief Quchee Collins views the change as an opportunity to enhance campus safety through a collaborative approach. The department will leverage the strengths of both sworn and unsworn officers, combining community policing initiatives with essential security functions to create a safer University environment.
鈥淭he introduction of non-sworn, unarmed public safety officers in addition to our sworn public safety professionals marks a shift toward a service-driven, community-first approach where safety is built on presence and engagement,鈥� said DPS Chief and Associate Vice President Quchee Collins. 鈥淭he aim of this new direction is to foster positive University community relations through helpfulness and courteous interactions.鈥�
In non-sworn roles, these officers are the friendly faces at campus information desks, conduct walking and bike patrols, respond to late-night safety escort requests, and perform other community oriented DPS functions. DPS responds to more than 300,000 service calls each year on all campuses, 24 hours a day. These non-sworn officers鈥攚ho also go through an extensive training program including mandatory implicit bias and de-escalation training鈥攁dditionally conduct building security checks and participate in community outreach and engagement programs.
Part of the goal of introducing these new, more casual uniforms is to start to develop a more community service approach to campus safety that helps all students and employees feel comfortable accessing the important safety and security services that DPS provides.