Employees complete OSUPD Citizens Academy
Tuesday, August 20, 2019
Thirteen Oklahoma State University employees have completed the OSU Police Department
Citizens Academy. The group went through more than 20 hours of class on everything
from training requirements to be an officer to crime scene evidence preservation.
The class culminated with time on a training simulator that provided examples of real-life
scenarios, hosted by the Stillwater Police Department.
Chief Leon Jones was pleased with the academy, the department’s second.
“I like for our community to know exactly what the police do,” Jones said. “It’s important
they know the efforts we take to protect the campus and create the safe environment
we promised. It’s also evidence of transparency with our community — they can police
us while we police the community.”
Ron Tarbutton, director of Facilities Maintenance, found the class eye-opening.
“I thought I had a pretty good idea of what the OSU Police do, but boy, was I wrong.
I learned so much during the OSU Citizen Police Academy,” Tarbutton said. “I have
always had a great respect for the police, but I have a much better understanding
of what they go through to keep us safe while putting themselves in potentially dangerous
situations and having to make split-second decisions.”
Dr. Jason Kirksey, vice president for Institutional Diversity, trained every officer
in diversity and inclusion in 2018. He said the academy “deepened my gratitude” for
what the officers do on a daily basis.
“The OSUPD Citizen Academy was an exceptional personal and professional experience,”
Kirksey said. “As a black male with an inner-city lived experience with law enforcement
that was not always positive, I developed a belief system that the citizen academy
challenged, and I broadened my perspective regarding many aspects of policing. Every
police department should have a training simulator like the one we were able to experience.
It helps officers continue to improve and also offers an opportunity to promote awareness,
education and prevention within a community.”
OSU employees who would like to take part in the next academy can email colt.chandler@okstate.edu
to get on a waiting list for the 2020 class.
MEDIA CONTACT: Shannon G. Rigsby | Public Information Officer | 405-744-9081 | shannon.rigsby@okstate.edu