Police Services
Patrol
UAPD patrol officers are charged with providing for the safety of all the students, faculty, staff and guests who attend class, work, live and visit our campus, and with the security of university buildings and property. We are proud of our professional police officers. Each of them received their certification from the Arkansas Commission on Law Enforcement Standards and Training. We believe that by working in partnership with the community we serve and by employing crime prevention and problem solving strategies we can achieve this critical mission.
Our officers routinely attend state and federal sponsored law enforcement training programs. Patrol officers respond to crimes in progress, traffic accidents, reports of suspicious activity and requests for assistance ranging from disabled motorists to persons locked out of their offices. Patrol officers conduct initial investigations of most crimes reported on campus and are often the first point of contact the campus community member has with University Police.
Officers are assigned to patrol specific areas on campus in marked patrol cars, bicycles, Segways and on foot. Officers also use covert and tactical patrol methods such as plain-clothes patrol and unmarked vehicles when required to address specific crime problems. We utilize some of the latest equipment to help us. For traffic control, we use tools such as RADAR to enforce speed limits on campus. Patrol officers conduct initial investigations, protect life, aid injured persons, secure and protect crime scenes. They identify suspects and make arrests, identify witnesses and document their observations, accurately complete and document all pertinent information regarding their investigations in a case or incident report.
Our fleet consists of marked police cruisers, a four-wheel drive sport utility vehicle, bicycles and Segways. Our cruisers are equipped with state and local radio systems and video technology. Officers also patrol on bicycles, Segway and foot. Shift Commanders are Sergeants assigned to each of the department's primary patrol shifts who are responsible for the general supervision and command of all department personnel assigned to their shift. They respond to incidents to supervise and guide the police officers under their command. The patrol unit is responsible for the bulk of police services rendered by the department.
Criminal Investigations
The Criminal Investigations Unit reports directly to the Police Services Captain and is staffed by two full time investigators. Investigators respond to major crime scenes and are responsible for the follow-up investigation of all major crimes against persons and property that occur within the university's jurisdiction.
The Investigative Services Unit is responsible for the investigation of serious crimes such as assault, sexual assault, robbery, substantial larcenies and burglaries.
The duties include overseeing the collection, preservation, and processing of available evidence; interviewing victims and witnesses; conducting pertinent crime analysis; coordinating her activities with other law enforcement and prosecution agencies; identifying and arresting offenders.
Investigative Services personnel review and analyze previous reports, departmental records and the results of laboratory examinations; conduct follow-up interviews and interrogations; seek additional information from officers, witnesses, victims, complainants and other law enforcement agencies; plan, organize and conduct searches and collect physical evidence; identify and apprehend suspects; prepare, arrest and search and seizure warrants; prepare cases for court presentation in conjunction with the State's Attorney's Office and develop informant and intelligence information.
Evidence processed by the Crime Scene Technician often leads to the successful identification and prosecution of suspects, particularly in cases of property crimes such as burglary and larceny.
Both investigators also play a major role in educating the campus community regarding safety and awareness issues and often meet with student groups to provide greater prevention awareness.
K9
The K9 unit is also called on to provide support and training for other police and sheriff departments across the region, and we’ve been called into duty at nearly every K-12 school in Northwest Arkansas.
We’re pretty popular, but we are expensive. Our nutritional requirements run almost $10,000 each year. And, because of the rigor of our service, we must be cared for by special K9 veterinarians and dentists. It’s all part of keeping us in top condition so that we’re able to protect and serve the public at the highest level.
If you wish to contribute to our department, please click this link, UAPDK9 Online Giving. This will help keep us in shape and help us continue the excellence in law enforcement and community outreach for which it’s known. Any size gift will make a difference. Thank you!