USCPD officers shared their values, explained their roles and answered student questions in the "Conversation with the Cops" on Wednesday afternoon in the Capstone Campus room.
As a part of Carolinian Creed Week, the Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, Carolina Judicial Council and USCPD got together to facilitate an open dialogue between USCPD members and Carolina students. This hour-long event gave student attendees the opportunity to ask questions and speak with officers about their duties on campus and their commitment to USC and USC students.
The panel of officers from USCPD included Sgt. Kenny Adams, Officer Dustin Buchheister, Corp. Jacob Culler, Officer TJ Geary, Officer Jennifer Taylor and Sgt. Jessica Velders.
Each of the panelists had an opportunity to introduce themselves and give a little background as to how they ended up being at USC. Then questions were collected from the audience to be answered by the officers.
The Office of Student Conduct and Academic Integrity, Carolina Judicial Council and USCPD advocated for a mutual respect between officers and students to keep a safe and happy community.
“We are in the education business," Geary said. "We are in the law enforcement business, but we also recognize that we have a dual role. And we are dealing with students we try to look at a long game. It's not just about writing a ticket, it's about how can we prepare this person for adulthood in a couple of years.“
One question asked was the hot topic of recent police brutality in national news. Because of all this coverage being offered to students, it has affected how students and people in general act toward the police. Each of the officers took the time to explain their personal views on the situation and share their personal experiences with the change.
The officers said they have noticed a difference in their everyday interactions with people. Many civilians act fearful of the police. One officer shared a story of a simple traffic stop in which the driver was uncontrollably shaking because they were so afraid of the police. Other officers said that people have gotten nervous when an officer greeted them in passing to be friendly.
After the panel, officers spread to the tables for a more face-to-face discussion with the students. Officers of USCPD are dedicated to their jobs and to the students they serve, and they stressed that they are not looking to get students in trouble, only to protect them.