I am pleased to report the Southwestern College Police Department is not in a dire state as opinioned in the editorial page of the most recent edition. On the contrary, the College Police Department is a good agency, served by skilled professionals. You accurately noted the positive qualities of Officer Adam Cato, a dedicated veteran with many years of experience. His qualities are indicative of the qualities of the other staff members of the department.
In my approximately 34-years of work in the law enforcement profession, either directly working in agencies or conducting investigations into them, I have encountered agencies with serious problems; “bad apples”, rouge cops, corruption, and gross malfeasance. Such serious problems do not exist in the College Police Department. Certainly, there have been some complaints, but these usually involve parking or traffic issues. However, their numbers are few in comparison to the accolades, praise, and thanks I receive on a regular basis. Service levels and response times are good, exceeding those of surrounding municipalities. College Police Officers may not always be seen but they are present nonetheless, enabling a rapid response to emergencies within a couple of minutes in most instances.
The College Police Department, like all effective organizations, seeks to continuously evolve and grow to effectively serve its community. Much growth has occurred over the last year to include improving our records management systems, building relations and partnerships, complying with the Jeanne Clery Act and other regulations, and increasing responsiveness to sexual assault incidents. This latter issue has been extensively reported by The Sun. I am proud of the steps the Police Department and the District have taken to address this serious problem.
All sexual assault allegations received by the Police Department have been handled with either a criminal investigation, and/or a referral to Student Services for handing through the student conduct procedures and/or referred for a Title IX investigation. The relationship between the Police Department and Student Services is a strong one and rapidly evolving into a triad partnership with David Caspi, the new Title IX Officer. These cases have been handled with the victim’s needs and desires considered first and foremost. Other departments have also been instrumental in providing critical victim assistance and support.
I would like to acknowledge the invaluable contributions of Dr. Malia Flood and her Behavioral Intervention Team, the timely intervention of Dr. Clarence Amoral and his staff, Patricia Flores-Charter and her team from DSS, and several others.
The future looks bright for Southwestern College and its Police Department. The new security building will provide even greater capabilities with enhanced records management processes and improved communications systems.
Efforts are also underway to provide expand services to meet the growing needs of the college with special events and sporting activities, equip officers with body cameras, and establish regular meetings with the College Police Advisory Board. These are but a few of the improvements and enhancements on the horizon.
To conclude, your readers should feel pride and confidence in their Police Department and the quality of services it provides.
Davis Nighswonger
Acting Chief of Police
