Thread: Campus Police

I am a university police officer, and I seem to be looked down upon by other PDs and was wondering if there is a stigma that I do not know about. Dont get me wrong mostly everybody treats me as an equal but some officers just have a holier than thou attitude. I make extremely good money and have a great time working here but others still dont want to hear about it. Oh well cant please everyone. Have a good day and STAY SAFE.
RED

That's nothing...... Try being a certified peace officer working for the County Sheriff's dept in the jail....... I have a good friend of mine who works for a local PD that jokes with me saying, "What are you doing with that Sheriff's jacket, your not the Police?!".......... I know exactly what your talking about, and I'm especially familiar with that attitude in the SO.

Thursday when I was going to work, I stopped by a stop n' rob to pick up a can of snuff, when I got behind another Deputy who was on patrol in line as well... This SOB turns around, looks me up and down, gives me a go to hell look, then turns his back to me w/o saying a damn word to me...... I know rivalry exists among departments, but within your own department?! That ended me wanting to go ANWHERE with my SO.......

Thats to bad I am only 23 yrs old and I respect everyone in Law Enforcement but tha it just what I was taught
RED

Red,

I used to work for a University Police Department, not as a sworn officer. The University is directly in the middle of the city. I am now working for the city department and all I can say is that there is A LOT of attitude against the University Police. This may be because of the latest riot where the U Police said it was the cities police department's fault. All I know is that the city cops have never had much respect for the U cops. Many of the reasons I hear all surrounds the issue of not being a "real cop". Their philosophy is that they are being put in danger much more often for A LOT less pay and benefits while the U cops just do traffic and deal with drunk students, but get all the excellent and up to date equipment .

I found it interesting that there was this lack of respect among other officers but everyone has their own opinion. As long as you are happy with what you do, who cares what other people think?

However, I know that I would rather work for a city department than a University department. It is just my personal preference and what I believe in.

K9

I'm really disappointed to hear that. Campus LE was something I had been looking into. The University of Maryland is hiring and I looked into it.

I believe that they carry anywhere in the state and have concurrent jurisdiction in the city of College Park with the PG police. It's a shame that some are looked down on. I always thought the idea of LE & going to school for free was great.


If you don't mind me asking, what school do you work for and how is your overall experience?

I work in a college town as a city cop and would say we have a fairly good relationship with the university PD. The two jobs are different, so of course their is always going to be that rivalry in place. Some view university cops as high paid security guards, but they get involved in their share of traditional police calls as well. Where I work they are well paid, have a decent boss, and for the most part have good officers so we don't have too many problems. Like all jurisdictions there seems to be a tendancy to try and pawn things off on other jurisdictions and since were the biggest department in the area it seems like we get stuck with other peoples calls alot, but that's the way it goes. If you like your job I wouldn't worry too much about what other people think of you.

Z

I can guarantee they won't turn you down if they (city/local officer) are in trouble, and you're there to back them up. Just be friendly with guys that accept you and laugh at the others.

We have a junior college in my town. Their officers have full police powers and are not restricted to campus. If you get into trouble in vicinity of the campus you can be sure they'll show up and help. These guys are people too, doing the same job I do just on a smaller scale. I treat all agencies with respect because you never know when you need them to bail you out. (Or not give you a ticket.)

Sent you a PM
RED

We have a university PD in our town and other than one officer that no longer works there, they are welcome to eapond to any call in the city or county when needed.

Last 4th of July we had officers tied up all over town, were using the SO and the Univ. PD to assist with the fireworks display, when we got a call of a gunman out in the county taking hostages. Myself and two UPD officers responded and helped set up a perimeter. We really work well with the UPD, and only have one regret about having them here, they do get all the cool toys while the city doesn't get as many.

ANybody that won't recognize that Univ. PD officers or detention deputies are "real" officers has a real attitude problem in my eyes. Know that you are doing your job and putting your neck on the line just like the other guys and hold your head high.

Happened about 20 mins ago was out off of campus on a bank run for the school and see a (sig 9i) car accident. It happens right in front of me and I react as any officer would. I check both drivers call my dispatch to get fireboard and county police. First county guy gets there and walks right past me to go check on occupants and get info. I just get in my cruiser and leave. Same shit different day.
RED

Like Tank said, any LEO who looks down on campus cops have a serious attitude prob. There poop stinks just as much as anyone else's.

Sorry you have to deal with such small-minded gorillas Red. You're taking it in good stride though, do your job and screw the city/county law dog who thinks they're "somehow" better then you are. I mean what is their problem? I mean a fellow officer is a fellow officer, your jurisdiction shouldn't mean you're less or more of an officer then the next guy.

Anyhow, my half cents worth.

I work for a university PD and I when I was on day shift the city police kinda blew me off which was fine with me because I don't have time to worry about them. Now that I am back on night shift the city officers and my department get along pretty well. Last night I ended up chasing a robbery suspect and catching him behind a house outside of my jurisdiction. I was chasing him for the city they wanted him not my department. So don't sweat the cops that ignore you and if it really bugs you say something to them.

I think alot of the stigma is caused by the "PC" (political correctness) many universities push. They don't want to look bad on the UCR stats, so some basically are told to hide crime or reclassify it (depts are told to do this by admin - Yes, check out the depts that have been fined for not complying with the federal laws in place). Legislation in congress has made some strides, but many campuses still play the game of hiding crime or minimizing it out of fear of loosing perspective or current students (i.e instead of arresting for drugs or worse) send to student referral system). I have seen this happen first hand. None of it was the officer's doing, rather the administration imposing its power). Not all universities do this. I can not emphasize this enough. Many are excellent departments that function as full police departments (patrol, investigations, K9, drug/street crimes, etc.) and see more than their share of action.

I myself see high arrest rates as a sign that the university takes crime seriously and is tackling the issue. Also at some universities it is nearly impossible to tell if the department is really a police department or just security when they use the name "public safety". There are a very select few campuses where the university is a true public safety department (police/fire/ems). But a vast majority are not and are either just security or the administration likes the kinder and gentler name of "public safety". Check out a few campus websites. Some of them look so much like police and are not, and others are real police but they will not come out and say it. And there are more than a few campus police departments that have full commissions and are state certified LE, but can't carry! Well in that case what kind of respect do you think you will be getting. For those LEO's on POLICE-L I have followed the threads of officers stating that their department (campus) are unarmed. In my eyes, you would have to be crazy to do a car stop unarmed. But every day some people do it....

In my jurisdiction there is a college with a security department, who renamed themselves public safety, even though they are just security. I ran into one of the security guards one day and asked about the training their department gets. After he told me they don't attend a police academy, he corrected me and told me they were not security and were "public safety"......

I've worked for a University Police Department for 20 years and it was the best decision I could have made. We have a very good working relationship with the city police and the county sheriff's department however, our department makes more money and has far better benefits than our city and county comrades. A lot of the new officers with the city may look down their noses at us but the older ones treat us with alot of respect because they have worked with us in the past.(many of our officers are former city officers) The older officers know a good deal when the see it and we even have some of the apply when we have an opening. The morale at the city police is very low (problems with the mayor etc..) and by contrast the university administration (and students too) support us... (even when we have to ticket them or make an arrest) To close all my rambling out, when it comes down to it, if there is an officer (or citizen) in trouble, it dosen't matter who you work for, the are glad to know you are rushing to their aid.