Officers use community policing for one-on-one interactions with students, faculty, staff

Whatever the assignment, whatever the opportunity, University Police officers perform their duties consistent with UD's educational mission.

Campus law enforcement personnel are specifically trained to understand the pressures and needs of students, faculty and staff who live and work in the campus community.

Officers are an integral part of the educational process, and they are called upon to speak on such topics as sexual assault, drugs, crime prevention and personal and traffic safety.

Campus police officers are expected to develop and maintain a positive relationship with students, faculty and staff to insure the safety and cooperation of the entire campus community.

Visit the Department of Public Safety web site at [www.udel.edu/PublicSafety] for details on the wide range of services it offers to visitors and members of the University community.

Six officers are specifically designated as campus community police officers. Four are located on the Newark campus--assigned to East Campus, West Campus, Laird Campus and Morris Library--and two officers are located on the Wilmington campus. In addition to their traditional duties as trained police officers, campus community police officers maintain offices in their assigned areas so that they can get to know UD students, staff and faculty on a personal basis.

Lawrence O. Thornton Jr., director of public safety, said, "Campus community police officers are available for one-on-one interaction with students, staff and visitors. They also present crime prevention programs in the residence halls. These avenues help them to get to know the UD community on a personal basis.

"All University police officers are accessible for information, assistance and referrals. The officers enjoy helping others and benefit from the relationships of trust that they build by their interactions with the community," he said.

"By working together, campus safety and security concerns can be resolved quickly and in the best interests of all," Thornton said.

Currently, UD's six Community Police Officers are

Investigator Janet Hedrick, [janjan@udel.edu]
Officer Diana Palladino, [dlpallad@udel.edu]
Corporal Emmett Robinson, [erobin@udel.edu]
Corporal Paige Seppanen, [cplpds@udel.edu]
Master Police Officer Eileen Tarkett, [cappy@udel.edu] and
Officer Frank Besaw, [besaw@udel.edu].

For additional information, contact the Department of Public Safety at 831-2224.