2018 Award for Innovations in Community Oriented Policing

University of Dayton Police Department

The IACLEA Award for Innovations in Community Oriented Policing is presented to an IACLEA institutional member of a campus public safety, police, or security department or an individual employee/team/unit of the member institution, for outstanding service and initiative supporting the effective promotion of the Community Oriented Policing philosophy. 

The University of Dayton Police Department earned the 2018 Award for Innovations in Community Oriented Policing.  The agency created a community engagement team of two officers, whose primary function is to operate from a department substation and present safety-related programming, provide active shooter and self-defense classes, and attend student organization events.  Other community engagement efforts include: an International Police Academy, which focused on breaking down barriers between international students and the police; a Student Police Academy, which provided students an in-depth presentation on various police functions and then allowed the student an opportunity to perform those functions in a controlled setting; the Bar Owners and Alcohol Retailers Partnership, in which the chief invited bar owners and alcohol retailers to meet with campus stakeholders and discuss collaborative efforts to keep students safe; and the Advisory Collaboration on Public Safety, a dedicated group of students, faculty, and staff who meet regularly with the chief to discuss campus safety, ask questions, and share concerns. "We do the work that we do because we are passionate about it and feel it is our calling," said Rodney Chatman, University of Dayton executive director of public safety and chief of police. "However, it's difficult to find the words to express the gratitude I feel to be recognized for that work by your peers."

Photo by ©Mike Ritter 2018