Robinson works the Academy Street intersection just west of Perkins Student Center. He’s been there every weekday for each of the last two academic years. (This year makes three.) Officially, he retired from the department in 2023 as a corporal after 30 years of service with UDPD. 

His retirement lasted six months. 

“I was drawn back to UD,” Robinson said. “I knew there was work to be done. Me being here, that helps the department’s full-time officers dedicate their time elsewhere and allows me to focus on pedestrian safety.

“In this role, my goal isn’t to give tickets,” Robinson continued. “It’s to give an education. It’s to give warnings, so that these young people don’t become victims.”

Robinson is an integral figure along Academy Street, assuring safe passage back and forth from the Harrington, Redding and Russell residence halls, to the Caesar Rodney dining hall, The Green and academic buildings.

That hustle and bustle, on most days, amounts to almost 1,000 passersby. Ask, and Robinson will tell you about close calls: Like the student riding on what Robinson described as “a beach bike just zig-zagging through traffic without a care in the world.” Or the countless others who are distracted by the smartphones in their hands or the headphones in their ears.

“Emmett is an invaluable resource to our department and the entire University community,” said UD Police Chief Patrick Ogden. “His comprehensive training and years of experience — in addition to his approachability and warm personality — have made him an exceptionally effective model for safety for our students and others.”

Each interaction with UD students brings opportunity for education — something that means a lot to Robinson. Born in Georgia, he graduated from a high school in Reston, Virginia, before arriving at UD in his 20s. Across 15 years of his youth, he moved around Europe with his mother, a noted opera singer who accepted a professorship at UD in the 1990s. She encouraged her son to seek employment with the University and, after a year working in security, a supervisor nudged Robinson toward the campus police department. 

“That gave me direction,” he said. “It turned my life around.”

Once again, campus is abuzz with new and returning Blue Hens. Robinson is back at his familiar spot on Academy Street. He offers these safety tips for all members of the UD community to recall while approaching and using crosswalks:

Pay attention.

Given his lengthy career in public safety, Robinson said he maintains “a sixth sense for danger, even off duty.” For everyone else, avoid the temptation to reach for your phone, check your texts or swap songs on your playlist while crossing the street. “Safety has got to be your top priority in that moment,” he said.

Always stop.

Even if pedestrians assume the right of way, Robinson warns that a vehicle may not come to a stop. “That vehicle moving at 15 or 20 mph, with only 20 to 30 feet to stop, may not have enough time,” Robinson said. “It weighs two tons and has momentum. Hydraulic brakes are strong, but don’t trust that it can or will come to a complete stop.”

Walk, don’t ride, through the intersection.

It is illegal to operate a bicycle through a crosswalk, Robinson said. Instead, dismount from your bike or scooter and wheel it across the street by hand.

Say hello. 

“At the end of the day, we’re here to help,” Robinson said. “We want to protect and serve. So if you see one of us, say hi when you have a chance. Ask us questions. We want to get to know our students.”

Resources

If you see something, say something. UD Police encourage members of the University community to report any suspicious behavior.

• Call 911 if you observe a crime in progress.

• Contact UDPD at 302-831-2222.

• Make a report through the LiveSafe mobile app.

• Dial UDPD’s dispatchers through blue light phones on campus.

• Visit the department at 413 Academy Street.