MUWPD adds security officer to its ranks

Mississippi University for Women’s Police Department has added to their ranks with the establishment of a new security officer position for the upcoming academic year.

The position is non-sworn, which means the officer will be unarmed. The main goal of the position is to supplement the patrol officers on campus, adding an extra layer of security.

Frank Roberts, former Green Beret in the United States Army Special Forces, has been tapped to fill the role.

“The W has been a part of me, even before I was born. My father taught here as a professor for over 40 years and I grew up two blocks from campus. My grandmother, my mother and I all graduated from The W, where I earned a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree. … I am very pleased to be of service as the new security officer with the university police department.  I feel that my job here is to protect and serve, while creating a safe environment for the students, faculty and staff,” Roberts said.

MUWPD Chief Randy Vibrock feels that Roberts is perfect for the job given his experience and knowledge of the campus and surrounding area.

“Adding this new position is just another way that we are able to enhance safety.  Frank’s prior military experience and knowledge of campus make him the ideal candidate for the position. I am excited about the impact this new position will have on campus safety,” Vibrock said.

The idea for the new position came from Vibrock researching what other university police departments have done outside of standard patrol units. He said that many use non-sworn security officers to supplement their patrol officers as well.

Vibrock added, “Security officers are responsible for securing buildings, gates and providing safety escorts. Safety escorts will operate similar to how the Night Owls Program operated in the past. The security officer will be able to provide escorts to The W and MSMS communities. Prior to having a security officer, patrol officers were responsible for securing buildings and gates. Having a security officer assume those responsibilities will allow the officers to focus on proactive patrol and will allow our officers to be more visible on campus.”

The W Police Department is located in McDevitt Hall. The department is available by phone at (662) 241-7777 or email at muwpolice@muw.edu.