The Office of Operations Command is comprised of the Operations Commander who holds the rank of major and is the second highest ranking member of the department, and the Special Operations & Community Policing Coordinator who holds the rank of Staff Sergeant.

The commanders of the Patrol Services Division and the Criminal Investigations Division report to the Operations Commander.

 

Patrol Services Division

The Patrol Services Division is the most visible and most recognized division of the UCA Police Department. Nineteen full-time, certified law enforcement officers patrol the campus and property controlled by the university 24 hours a day, year round. Officers patrol the campus by marked vehicle, bicycle, and foot. Officers also provide security functions at all NCAA athletic events, dances, step shows, and other social gatherings.

The primary function of the UCA Police Department, that of patrol and enforcement, is executed by the Patrol Division. Patrol Officers assist in maintaining police and public safety services to the academic community by providing for continuous availability of police officers to respond to calls for service to deter crimes by visible patrol; to detect, apprehend, and process persons actively involved in criminal activity; to recover and return lost or stolen property; to ensure the safe movement of vehicular and pedestrian traffic; to provide follow-up investigation of offenses when warranted by time or circumstances; to provide community-oriented policing services and crime prevention programs; to provide motorist assistance services; and to reduce both immediate and potential hazards to the academic community. Administration and management of these functions are accomplished through the Division Commander and three shift sergeants (supervisors).

 

This division of the department is comprised of the Division Commander (lieutenant), three supervisory officers (two sergeants and a corporal), 19 police officers and additional field support staff.

The UCA Police Department is committed to the concepts of a community-oriented policing philosophy. This policing model is based on the concept that the police and community can work together to develop the best ways to solve the problems of crime, fear of crime, and disorder. The Police Bike Team was born out of the implementation of community policing on campus. This highly visible and interactive approach to police patrol places officers on bikes on campus and in and around residence halls as a deterrent to crime victimization and as a proactive way to establish a liaison with students and employees. It provides a visible and approachable means of police patrol which encourages communication and partnerships with the UCA community in the prevention and detection of crime. The objectives of the Police Bike Team include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Maintain the mission of the Police Department and further the concepts and development of community-oriented policing on campus;
• Provide a visible and approachable means of police patrol to deter crime victimization and to encourage communication and partnerships with the UCA community in the prevention of crime; and
• Develop and enhance relationships, cooperation, and support with the UCA Housing Office, Residence Hall Directors, Resident Assistants, and the residential community.

 

The Police Bike Team offers the following benefits in meeting the community policing objectives of the police department:

• An efficient means of providing patrol coverage through the campus, especially in those areas not readily accessible by patrol vehicle but often traveled by members of the community.
• An ability to make frequent patrol checks of all sectors of the campus with much the same approachability as foot patrol, but with greater frequency and visibility.
• Quicker response times to most locations on campus.
• Enhanced approachability which cannot be achieved through traditional vehicle patrol, allowing officers to "blend" with the campus community and develop improved one-on-one relationships.
• Improved detection of criminal misconduct on the campus because of the flexibility, maneuverability, and quiet operation offered by bicycles.

As a supplement to the Patrol Division, Campus Service Officers (CSO) have proven to be an effective element in the role of parking regulation enforcement, crime prevention, and crowd control. CSOs are student workers hired by the University Police Department who provide a number of services to the university. CSOs assist with vehicle parking at ball games and special events, and assist officers with parking enforcement by issuing citations.

Campus Service Officers have been given full authority by the Department to write parking citations on university owned or controlled property. As such, any university citation issued by such a person serves as an official university notice and must be honored.

Criminal Investigations Division

The Investigations & Professional Standards Division is responsible for conducting follow-up criminal investigations. The division assists in maintaining police and public safety services to the academic community by providing for the thorough analysis of reported crime to determine the feasibility of follow-up investigations; thorough investigation of crimes deemed solvable; liaison with the court and university disciplinary bodies; collection and preservation of evidence and victim assistance and referral services.

This division is comprised of the division commander (lieutenant) and one investigator (staff sergeant).

 

Crime Tips Hotline

If you wish to anonymously report any criminal or suspicious activity or anything else you feel we should know about, you may contact the UCA Police Department Crime Tips Hotline by calling (501) 450-5696 or sending email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .

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