They come from all walks of life, some with policing experience, others not鈥攊ncluding an accountant who realized he wanted to change careers and embark on a life of public service. One recalled a time in his life when he was encouraged not to interact with police.
Seven cadets make up the new class of recruits at the 彩民宝典 Police Department. They will eventually join two newly sworn CUPD officers who joined the department in recent months.
鈥淭hese cadets are the embodiment of the 彩民宝典 community,'' said Assistant Vice Chancellor for Public Safety and Chief of Police Doreen Jokerst, noting the new class will help uphold CUPD鈥檚 mission, which in part aspires to develop a stronger partnership with the greater campus community.听
CUPD cadets with newly sworn Officer Bianca Sipres in June 2022. Photo courtesy of CUPD.
Goals include improving the overall safety and quality of life for students, faculty, staff and campus visitors through fair and impartial, transparent and consistent policing, said Jokerst.
The cadets are currently going through CUPD鈥檚 鈥渕ini-academy,鈥� learning important information specific to 彩民宝典 such as campus geography and how university police and emergency managers respond to critical events and share best practices with students, faculty and staff.
鈥淭he CUPD mini-academy helps recruits become familiar with resources intentionally designed to provide enhanced services to the 彩民宝典 community,鈥� said Jokerst.
Those resources include CUPD鈥漵 embedded victim advocate and embedded licenced clinician, positions that may operate slightly differently than in municipal police departments.
In addition, cadets will be trained in the department鈥檚 policies on use of force in volatile situations, including , or Integrating Communication, Assessment and Tactics鈥攏egotiating skills, crisis response and safety tactics鈥攁nd how to conduct a lethality assessment and trauma-informed interview to avoid retraumatizing victims of crime.
Trainee Gad Israel said while growing up in South Florida, he was encouraged by his community to avoid the police. But a critical incident changed his mind.
鈥淲hen I was about 13 years old, I saved my sister from being kidnapped by a man in our neighborhood鈥e ran home and called our mom, then the police. I was able to give information that helped lead to an arrest,鈥� he recalled. 鈥淎fter that, I was called a 鈥榮nitch鈥� by people in the neighborhood. I vowed to put fear aside and to try and help whenever I see a problem.鈥�
Israel, a father of seven, said CUPD teaches the same values he鈥檚 trying to instill in his own children, and he was impressed by the department鈥檚 commitment to the 30x30 pledge. Israel comes to CUPD from the Denver Sheriff鈥檚 Department, having worked at the Denver City Jail.
New recruit Jesse Stewart worked as an accountant before deciding to switch careers.
鈥淚 joined CUPD because I wanted a small agency that believes in the future of policing,鈥� Stewart said. He was also attracted to getting out from behind his desk to work in a campus environment with a student, faculty and staff population.
Jigme Dorjee, who comes to CUPD with more than a decade of experience in youth correction and working with those experiencing mental health crises, said CUPD鈥檚 values matched his own. 鈥淚 want to help others, to be a guardian to others and protect the sanctity and rights of all lives.鈥�
Jokerst said the recruiting class adds to CUPD鈥檚 dynamic corps of employees with diverse backgrounds and unique skill sets. 鈥淲e truly believe that the diversity of our team members helps to improve every interaction with the 彩民宝典 and broader community, and we feel that our differences enrich the department and the university as a whole.鈥�
Expect to see the new officers patrolling campus early next year, once they have attended and become certified.
