University Police Officers

[Sackett]

I work for a large University department. We deal with alot of people that are not students, and get a fair amount of hot calls on and off campus. The other day I was in line at a restaurant when the officer waiting next to me saw my badge holder as I took out my credit card. He asked me if i worked in his area? I told him that I was a University Officer and told him the location. He did not say anything for a second, and then he went "mmm".

I was not expecting 20 questions, or for him to express interest, but I got the impression that he was "less" than impressed. Do other University Officers get the same feeling from "some"city or county officers or am I reading more into this than I should?

[ArkansasFan24]

My opinion - probably a bit of both.

[1042 Trooper]

Here the University of Wyoming Police have full police pwers throughout the state - just like we troopers do. While they do have a limited scope - they perform a valuable service. The problem they have is they answer to "politically correct" professors and not to a mayer, or governor answerable to the people. Thus, they often end up doing "office friendly" type PR stuff rather than police work.

Hey - you got the rocks to take the sh**, wear a badge, uniform and the piece - you make the grade.

[kw74]

Yeah you aren't going to get the same "respect", but ultimately its your choice where you work(unless you are under contract). I know people who work both for cities/counties and those who work for the Board of Reagents at various schools and it seems people at the city/county departments are in some ways jealous of the fact that the University PD's don't have the same call volume or the same number of hot calls and get paid roughly the same and may have better benefits. On the other hand I know many people who work for universities who want to work for the county/city because they feel like Barney Fife or that they are wasting their time not doing anything substantial. In my area there are alot of people who have jumped back and forth from either the University PD or the surrounding city and county PD's and it always seems that the grass is greener on the other side.

Your job is what you make of it and there are constraints on LE's no matter where you go its just a matter of what you can deal with both in action and how much your hands are tied.

But remember no matter who you work for you are a LEO and the average thug doesn't care who you work for he just sees the badge and gun and will treat you the same. So don't get in the mindset of it being a safe job and the guy who gave you a hard time won't care if and when you save his butt or his buddies down the road.

[ArkansasFan24]

I'll say that since I'm a ranger and police both the four legged and two legged squirrels that many municipal officers don't look at my agency with a lot of respect. I don't really care though. I get that more from small town cops than the more experienced officers. I worked at a good sized urban police department and got a great law enforcement education with them. I respect all officers. I also have statewide jurisdiction over everything an officer is capable of enforcing. I like my agency because I get to work in and visit the most beautiful places in the state. My job also comes with some really nice perks like free housing. There's a lot of admin in my job which I like too. The diversity in my day is what makes me love my job. I make quite a few law enforcement encouters although I never really have to make arrests. To me, that's not such a bad thing. I no longer work around life's scum. I have found my niche!

[G-MAN]

A cop is a cop, be it a police beat cop, college pd officer, deputy sheriff, marshal, constable, FBI, DEA, ATF....You get the idea.

Were all on the same team I don't look down on any law enforcement profession. You are a brother!

G-man
1*

[SammyCal1]

We have Montclair State University in our town and it is a pleasure working alongside of the officers from their police department. I have provided back up for them as they have done for me on many occaisions.

I do not know about other states, but in NJ a College/University police officer is the same as any other police officer. We go through the same academy training and work them same jobs.

Rutgers, Montclair State University, William Paterson University, and so many more colleges/universities here have very professional police departments with very professional police officers.

Sammy

[FNA209]

I guess if I wanted more "respect", I'd have gotten a job with a city. But, I was looking for a job that had less gun calls, few to no domestics, etc, etc. I got certified when I was in my early forties and had "played the high-speed low-drag game" in the military. I didn't really want to play hardball anymore.

So I took a "U-cop" job. Great benefits, great retirement, and lots more quiet. We still get felony crimes and all that; just not as many as a cop working a high crime area will get. I like the pace.

I don't really care if anyone doesn't respect my certification; I'm still a cop and I find people with the attitude of "campus cops aren't real cops" have no clue what my job entails. PFFFT on them. It's little different than a person who takes a job in a quiet small town with little crime as opposed to a big city rift with it. You weigh your options and pick the job you want.

[kannahspapa]

When I went to PTI at the University of Illinois my class had deputies, officers from big cities, small villages, universities, and even one that was being cross certified as both police and fire. We all studied the same material and received the same equal certification. We're brothers and sisters doing THE JOB, and yes we do get disrespect and looked down upon from our brothers and sisters. It comes down to, alot of the time, is how YOU feel in your job. As said in previous posts, your job's what you make of it. Do your job with pride, self-respect, and to the best of your abilities. The one disrespecting may, in all probability, be dealing with his own insecurities, so it's their problem not yours. Hey Sack the large university that you work for "probably" has more officers than are in both departments that I work for, ft= 18 and pt= 4, SO? Bottom line my friend, don't worry about the others reaction, enforce the law, work safe, and go home to your family after work. Thank you for being there and willing to do the job. Thoughts from an old timer that's still doing the job.

[LAschoolCop]

I work for a large University department. We deal with alot of people that are not students, and get a fair amount of hot calls on and off campus. The other day I was in line at a restaurant when the officer waiting next to me saw my badge holder as I took out my credit card. He asked me if i worked in his area? I told him that I was a University Officer and told him the location. He did not say anything for a second, and then he went "mmm".

I was not expecting 20 questions, or for him to express interest, but I got the impression that he was "less" than impressed. Do other University Officers get the same feeling from "some"city or county officers or am I reading more into this than I should?

Uhhhhh I feel your pain! I get the same reaction from alot of LAPD ofcs who still have no idea we have full police powers

[Sackett]

University P.D.

I probably was a little thin skinned at the restaurant and maybe I took it the wrong way. I will be the first to admit that the city and county guys work their butts off. The going from call to call all day is crazy and I do not know how you guys do it. I like the fact that I have time to do my paper work and have the time to patrol. Thanks for all of the great replies.

[GoldBadge]

the city and county guys work their butts off. The going from call to call all day is crazy and I do not know how you guys do it.

Simply working your "butt off" and going from call to call doesn't make one a good cop. Those of us who have worked in busy jurisdictions can attest to the fact that they have worked with sluggs who went from call to call but never did a very good job.

I like the fact that ... I have the time to patrol.

A good cop snoops while on patrol, finds his own work, and develops great criminal cases.

Just because you're a university cop, that doesn't make you second to anyone.

[LE2BE]

Uhhhhh I feel your pain! I get the same reaction from alot of LAPD ofcs who still have no idea we have full police powers

Educate me... Only because I always end up having to work the SC games... I'm assuming the Green uniforms are the real Officers and the Brown Uniforms are security Officers? I guess it isn't that bad, since I get to BS with my buddies, while watching the girls walk by. But.. it does **** me off that I have to do traffic control for about 50K drunk people pooring out of the stadium. SC has been playing at the Coliseum for how many years? It would be nice to have some kind of plan to get traffic out of the stadium in a more organized manner, instead of that circus they currently have.

By the way... you still get my respect

[PhilipCal]

Here the University of Wyoming Police have full police pwers throughout the state - just like we troopers do. While they do have a limited scope - they perform a valuable service. The problem they have is they answer to "politically correct" professors and not to a mayer, or governor answerable to the people. Thus, they often end up doing "office friendly" type PR stuff rather than police work.

Hey - you got the rocks to take the sh**, wear a badge, uniform and the piece - you make the grade.

Great reply. Alabama has many University Police agencies. They are fully empowered police officers, and over the years I had ocassion to work in concert with quite a few campus officers. It was always a pleasure to work with them. They do a vital job.

[ABC144]

Hat's off to the Univ./College PD's. I work in a College town and have worked with UAPD. The stories that they tell rate up there with any other department. I don't envy them at all on football game day!