Vol. 38, No. 18

1-3-2007
By: Julia Harris

University police unleash public relations push

On the first Friday in December, the lobby of Morrison Tower was filled with students, noise and sweaty air. Students lounged on sofas, draped themselves over chairs and squabbled over the last slices of pepperoni pizza.

When two Ohio State police officers appeared, the students barely even looked their way.

For Officer Aaron Ward, this nonchalance is pleasing. He is the police liaison for Canfield Hall, Mack Hall and Morrison dormitories, which means when he’s not filing reports and answering calls for service, he mingles with students.

It’s part of the police division’s efforts to promote a friendlier, more interactive type of policing.

“What I try to do is just walk through with the resident assistants as they do their rounds,” Ward says. “I want to let students know that if they see a police officer in their dorms, it’s not the end of the world. It doesn’t mean they’re going to be arrested.”

Even in uniform, Ward is not an overbearing presence. He speaks softly, smiles easily and listens more than he talks. With him is Officer Bryan Thompson, who has been on the force for six years — four of those as a K-9 handler.

They recently held a student safety presentation in which the highlight was a K-9 demonstration starring Thompson’s 70-pound German shepherd partner. This kind of demonstration is only one way officers interact with the campus community. They also offer self-defense classes such as Rape Aggression Defense for Women, a free program for university staff and faculty that covers risk reduction and teaches the basics of hands-on defense training. (For a complete description and schedule of winter quarter classes, see ps.ohio-state.edu/police/rad/index.php).

Ward enjoys giving the student safety demonstration, even though he is not perfectly at ease giving them.

He and Thompson provide a barrage of safety tips: Watch out for people in the dorms who don’t belong, don’t leave doors open even if you’re just making a quick trip down the hall and lock up your stuff when you go away for breaks.

When Thompson brings in his large dog, Catto, the students perk up. With an enormous blue bone in his jaws, Catto trots into the room with his plumed tail swinging. Thompson leads him through the jumble of students and the dog leans, catlike, against legs and knees and lets himself be patted.

When Thompson mutters something in German, however, Catto goes to work. He’s sent around the room to find a cache of chemicals hidden somewhere in the lobby. In less than 30 seconds, he locates the vial of dust tucked inside the casing of the grand piano. His big paws play an impromptu chorus as he jumps up to the keyboard, barking.

Thompson beams like a proud parent. He explains that Catto, who understands both English and German commands, is trained specifically to sniff out explosives. He also accompanies Thompson on routine patrols and on home football Saturdays, where he and a team of eight other dogs search for weapons in the stadium.

“We’ve been assigned to President Bush’s detail when he was here; we’ve also been out on three federal search warrants where we found two explosive devices,” Thompson says.

The students clapped as Thompson led the dog out of the room. Ward and Thompson invited them to ask questions, and gradually concerns surface about police search and seizure, traffic violations and some specific, unpleasant interactions students have had with law enforcement.

When the last question was answered and most students had drifted away, Ward put his hat on and gathered his things. A student approached and asked to try on the riot gear Ward had in his duffel.

“Sure. I’ll be glad to help you with that,” says Ward, hoping the interaction will be just one more way to promote the friendlier side of the police division.

Hail to the chief

Paul Denton, a 28-year veteran of the Columbus Police Department, recently took the helm of the university’s police division.

Q: Why did you choose to work at Ohio State after a long career with the Columbus police?

A: There were only a few jobs for which I would consider leaving the very rewarding and secure job I was in. This was one of those jobs. Plus, it was always a career goal of mine to advance in policing and become a chief somewhere. The timing was right in terms of my age and the point in my career.

Q: What do you see as your chief priorities?

A: I see two areas of focus right now. First is an internal focus — learning the organization, the police division and the different communities of interest within the university. Second, since we’re a community within a community, we have to consider how the university police division relates to the Columbus community at large.

Q: What is the role of policing on a college campus?

A:Public safety in the broadest sense — the safety and security of the campus — should be just as important as academic considerations in attracting students to Ohio State. We’re vital in maintaining an open and safe environment for students and faculty to learn and do research. And once students are here, we’re a part of their educational experience: We can educate, mentor and counsel them. Policing is much broader than just law enforcement. Our interaction with students as they mature can help them become good citizens, not just in their academic life but their public life as well.

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