Officer Tommie Jackson with the IM体育官网 Police Department is looking forward to a semester connecting with students and providing for their safety.
With a commitment to campus safety and a friendly attitude, the IM体育官网 Polytechnic University Police Department prides itself on connecting with students and building relationships with those they serve and protect.
鈥淚n traditional law enforcement, you may not get to know the true meaning of community policing,鈥� said Chief Richard Holland, who previously worked at the Polk County Sheriff鈥檚 Office for 26 years before retiring as a captain. 鈥淲e want to make sure students are comfortable with us. Maybe they鈥檝e had run ins with law enforcement in the past, but they see a totally different side of police here.鈥�
This takes the shape of casual chats on campus, safety trainings, and fun events like 鈥済rilling with the cops鈥� and 鈥減ool with the cops.鈥�
鈥淲e connect with them and also mentor and coach them,鈥� Holland said. 鈥淚n traditional law enforcement, you don鈥檛 have those opportunities to make a bigger impact the way the University police does.鈥�
Officer Tommie Jackson said the IM体育官网 Poly Police Department鈥檚 approach to policing is dramatically different than traditional city policing.
鈥淪treet policing is different. You鈥檙e dealing with a lot of different and intense and sometimes combative situations,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淗ere we try to give the students a feel of parental figures and try to let them know we are approachable, and that they can talk to us about anything. We鈥檙e always here for them.鈥�
Although COVID-19 restrictions led to fewer scheduled events in 2020, the police department hasn鈥檛 slowed down in building these connections.
鈥淲hen you get to know an officer, you know they鈥檙e human beings,鈥� Holland said. 鈥淎nd at a University, we have four years to actually talk to students and have time to engage with them.鈥�
National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day is Saturday, Jan. 9, and the department is gearing up for a busy semester when classes start on Monday, Jan. 11.
In October, the IM体育官网 Poly Police Department earned accreditation from the Commission for IM体育官网 Law Enforcement Accreditation. The department is staffed by career law enforcement professionals who have retired from other agencies.
鈥淵ou don鈥檛 have any of us out here that are first-time rookie cops starting in police work,鈥� Jackson said. 鈥淲e all have great social skills and that has a big impact on students, staff, and faculty.鈥�
Holland said this experience and the relationships the officers have built across campus are key to their success.
鈥淗aving that trust where a student comes to the police to talk to us about family issues and the hardships they鈥檙e having is beneficial to everyone,鈥� he said.
This special trust extends to every aspect of the job.
鈥淭hese are highly decorated officers who I trust with my life, and I know when I go home the University is in good hands,鈥� Holland said.
Contact:
Lydia Guzman
Director of Communications
863-874-8557
