Chief Michael Beckner is focused on listening.

Whether it is students, staff, faculty or the campus community, Beckner has taken feedback to improve the Oklahoma State University Police Department’s approach to engagement, transparency and partnerships.

“When I first got here, the biggest thing we learned is that students really wanted to be a part of the police department and have a say,” Beckner said.

Beckner, a 30‑year law enforcement veteran who began his career with the Corinth, Mississippi, Police Department and later served in campus policing roles at the University of Alaska‑Anchorage, Augusta University and as chief at Southeastern Louisiana University, is now one year into leading the OSUPD.

Over that time, OSUPD has completed 51 student engagement events across the Stillwater and Tulsa campuses, not including Beckner’s regular interactions with the Student Government Association. The department also launched a monthly student safety committee that allows students to share concerns and help identify their perceived safety issues on campus.

Sophomore agriculture communications major Ashlyn Ballard said attending one of those events changed how she views campus police.

“I went to the Cocoa and Conversations event they had at the Student Union a few weeks ago, and it was refreshing to see officers with smiles on their faces,” Ballard said.

Ballard said she has also attended OSUPD car safety checks offered before school breaks.

“My dad encourages me to get my car checked before I drive home to Texas,” Ballard said. “And because my dad’s really close friend is an officer, I try to show officers appreciation when I can.”

Beckner said officers are now required to participate in at least one community engagement activity per semester, making officers more recognizable and approachable.

“The biggest thing is getting out of the car more and actually having conversations,” he said. “Our students will talk to us, and want to talk to us.”

Ballard said those casual interactions help build trust between students and officers.

“It’s easier to trust that an officer knows what they’re doing if there’s an established dynamic beforehand, and I think at OSU they’re great at that,” Ballard said.

Beckner has emphasized transparency as a cornerstone of his leadership, particularly during difficult moments.

“We put the information out there,” he said. “We let people know what’s going on, what we’re doing and even where we’ve fallen short. It’s OK to say you made a mistake.”

Beckner measures trust not through statistics alone, but through approachability. One example is a collaboration with SGA’s disability committee to include voluntary medical alerts in a new report-writing system. This allows officers to know if a resident has a condition, such as seizures, when responding to a call.

OSUPD has also strengthened partnerships with local and regional agencies. Memorandums of understanding with the Stillwater Police Department and the Payne County Sheriff’s Office have been updated, and OSUPD now also has an officer assigned to the Internet Crimes Against Children task force.

Beyond Stillwater, Beckner said OSUPD has built relationships with agencies connected to OSU’s Center for Health Sciences in Tulsa and the College of Osteopathic Medicine at the Cherokee Nation in Tahlequah, working closely with Cherokee Nation emergency management officials.

Reflecting on his first year, Beckner described the transition as challenging but encouraging.

“I got sworn in, the next day we had a new president, and I’ve had three bosses since then,” he said. “But we’re starting to see stability, and people here are willing to listen.”

Beckner said Stillwater’s campus environment, supportive staff and “underappreciated” officers are reasons he still sees OSU as a place where he could finish his career.

“This is a city within a city,” Beckner said. “On any given day, you’ve got 30,000 people in a small area, and you don’t see major crime. That’s because of our officers.”

Ballard said she hopes more students take advantage of opportunities to interact with OSUPD.

“They’re easy to attend, and typically there’s free food of some sort,” Ballard said.

Beckner said his goals include improving staffing, pay and professional opportunities for officers, while continuing to expand student engagement.

“That’s what makes me want to stay,” Beckner said. “It’s challenging — and I love a challenge.”

Story By: Summer Wilson | sumwils@okstate.edu