UPD looking for new workers
Chris Yow
Issue date: 11/17/05 Section: News
Jacksonville State University's police department is home to more than just the officers who pull students over for traffic violations, it's also home to the student security force and that friendly voice that greets you when you have an emergency - the dispatcher.
Granted, the officers are definitely the most visible part of the police force. And that's the point.
"In my job I want people to know who I am, so if they need me they know who to call," said UPD's Corporal Neil Fetner, adding that visibility is probably 90 percent of a patrol officer's job.
In addition to being the visible reminder for students to slow down and follow the traffic laws, they enforce the laws of the city as well as the state and federal governments, assist motorists whenever they have car trouble and respond to crimes in progress.
"You have to be able to handle going from calm, relaxed to high alert in a matter of a few seconds and then after the incident is over you have to come off your adrenaline high and go back to your calm, relaxed mode. That's something we have to contend with on a daily basis,' said Fetner as he related a comparison made by one of his officers that the job was "98 percent boring and two percent excitement."
And they have to be constantly vigilant and aware that the exciting two percent of the job could occur at any moment. Just look close the next time you see one of the officers bent over at a traffic stop talking to the driver. The position tightens the shirt across their back and shows off the kevlar vest they always have to wear.
Or watch the way they back up warily to their car instead of turning their back on the driver, even during routine traffic stops made on a student who turned left instead of right out of Stone Center's parking lot.
Some of the most routine calls, such as securing buildings or unlocking vehicles, are taken by student patrol.
Student patrol is made up of student workers at JSU who have no criminal record, are presentable and work well with the public.
Granted, the officers are definitely the most visible part of the police force. And that's the point.
"In my job I want people to know who I am, so if they need me they know who to call," said UPD's Corporal Neil Fetner, adding that visibility is probably 90 percent of a patrol officer's job.
In addition to being the visible reminder for students to slow down and follow the traffic laws, they enforce the laws of the city as well as the state and federal governments, assist motorists whenever they have car trouble and respond to crimes in progress.
"You have to be able to handle going from calm, relaxed to high alert in a matter of a few seconds and then after the incident is over you have to come off your adrenaline high and go back to your calm, relaxed mode. That's something we have to contend with on a daily basis,' said Fetner as he related a comparison made by one of his officers that the job was "98 percent boring and two percent excitement."
And they have to be constantly vigilant and aware that the exciting two percent of the job could occur at any moment. Just look close the next time you see one of the officers bent over at a traffic stop talking to the driver. The position tightens the shirt across their back and shows off the kevlar vest they always have to wear.
Or watch the way they back up warily to their car instead of turning their back on the driver, even during routine traffic stops made on a student who turned left instead of right out of Stone Center's parking lot.
Some of the most routine calls, such as securing buildings or unlocking vehicles, are taken by student patrol.
Student patrol is made up of student workers at JSU who have no criminal record, are presentable and work well with the public.