department of

public safety

Welcome to the first Chief’s Brief, a monthly column to let you, the community, know what has been happening on campus. Watch for it in your inbox or in Bulletin and Headlines. 

 

In the Chief’s Brief, you can meet officers, have any questions you have about your university police department answered, and receive monthly safety tips.

 

To start off, let me say that my first six months on campus as the new chief of police have been very eventful, from the devastating March wildfires to The Boys From Oklahoma four-day concert event at Boone Pickens Stadium. These two events showed me that OSU police officers are dedicated and step up when duty calls. It also showed me that the local departments share the same dedication to the community.

 

The mission of the OSU Police Department is to foster an inclusive learning environment through community collaboration, problem-solving, transparency and addressing the public safety needs of our community, while serving and protecting Oklahoma’s future. OSUPD is a fully accredited police department through the Oklahoma Association of Chiefs of Police and receives its authority from Oklahoma Title 74 and the OSU/A&M Board of Regents. All OSUPD officers must attend a state law enforcement academy and are certified officers through the Oklahoma Council on Law Enforcement Education and Training.

 

The OSUPD is located at 104 USDA Building (off Farm Road), with a substation on the second floor of the Student Union in room 225. Officers patrol campus 24/7, 365 days a year and can be reached through the OSUPD dispatch at 405-744-6523, or 911 in an emergency.

 

As the semester starts and campus comes back to life, officers will be as visible as possible, on foot, bikes or in vehicles, greeting our new and returning students, staff and faculty. You will see us at the fall athletic events. While working the Cowboy football home games, officers will be clearly visible in a new uniform, so you can easily identify an officer when you need one. I like to say the new game uniform shirt is like a highlighter; it makes them stand out in a crowd.

 

Upcoming OSUPD Events:

• Aug. 20  — Lights on Stillwater, 6-9 p.m., north side of Boone Pickens Stadium
• Aug. 21 — Spears School of Business Welcome back, 3-5 p.m., Business Building 
• Family Resource Center Welcome Bash  Aug. 28
• Cowboy football, game time 6:30 p.m., GO POKES! 

We have some great events coming in September, like “Cover the Cruiser” to support survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence: Sept. 10, 11 a.m. - 2 p.m. 

 

Safety Tips:   

• In today’s society, online safety is paramount. If you get an email request referencing a job you did not apply for, asking you to cash a check, asking you to purchase gift cards for them, or asking for personal information, BLOCK it, DELETE it and REPORT it! 
• Be careful with online dating. Never give your address to someone you just met online. Only meet in a public place. Let a friend know your plans regarding where and what time, and make sure to let your friend know you are safe when the date is over. It’s a good practice to have someone call and check on you within the first 30 minutes of meeting the individual. If something doesn’t seem right, then it probably isn’t. Trust your instincts!
• If you are new or returning to campus, remember to secure your items. Don’t leave belongings visible in your car and don’t leave items while you run to get a coffee. OSUPD offers engravers that can be checked out at our two locations to engrave your student ID on your items. OSUPD also offers a website where you can list your property and you have the option to include photos. In case something is stolen, you will have the serial number on record. This helps us identify and recover your property. The website is apps.okstate.edu/pd_inventory.
• Don’t forget to download the Rave Guardian app from the Apple or Google Play Store. For more information and links to download, visit safety.okstate.edu/safety-resources/rave-guardian.html

Questions or suggestions? Email OSUPDCHIEF@okstate.edu. 

See you around campus and GO POKES!

 

Michael T. Beckner

Chief of Police