College Officer Program

The Rice University Police Department's, "College Officer Program" illustrates the best known methods and practices of the police role with a highly diversified, multi-cultural multi-ethnic community.

Technological changes in society and internally within the law enforcement profession must be counterbalanced by genuine concern for people, regardless of economic level, creed, sexual preference, gender or other individual characteristics.

The administration and supervisors of the Rice University Police Department recognized these vast changes and that people are our most important resource.

Police officers selected for this program are chosen with this basic idea in mind. Selection starts with an intense assessment center evaluation emphasizing interpersonal skills and being successful in communicating effectively, listening, providing feedback to others, planning and problem solving. Problems and conflicts inevitably arise in any community and these unique skills are a highly regarded asset to the Rice University community.

College officers are assigned to the various college areas of the university and use these skills in conjunction with training to smooth out trouble dealing with problem behaviors, complaints and grievances.

This is achieved by emphasis on a Proactive Police approach to law enforcement; looking forward, not back, and anticipating the future. We are all aware of our prime directive, but our mission statement is our driving force.

The college officers accomplish their mission operating in a value system wherein each officer recognizes the necessity for working closely with the residents and within the dormitory's (college's), common and surrounding geographical areas. This is truly a joint effort to control and reduce problems.

Certainly this is a different approach than the typical, "law and order" focused department of the past decades.

A selected shift to compliment the standard three eight hour shifts is worked by the college officers. This extra service is provided during specific traditionally higher crime hours. The program is a return to an all important part of community policing - the once popular "foot patrol". The college officers have found that foot patrol is as much an exercise in communications as other forms of police work. This patrol has greatly improved the rapport between the officers in the assigned areas and the students, faculty and staff they serve. We are exceedingly proud of the success of this program and as much credit must go to the students of the colleges as to our officers - who have met and exceeded our expectations.

The college officers find themselves constantly interacting with the community on specific topics such as crime prevention, operation I.D., and in-house college programs.

Since the enactment of this program the response to the assigned officers has been a catalyst for communications and all around interaction from those who know the problems and those who experience the pain of victimization.

R.U.P.D.