ST. PETERSBURG, Fla. — St. Petersburg College has launched its own police department, adding sworn law enforcement officers to its existing campus security operations.
College leaders say the new St. Petersburg College Police Department will give SPC greater access to law enforcement information and allow officers to respond to and investigate incidents on campus. The college’s existing campus security team will remain in place and work alongside the sworn officers.
Andrew MacPherson, SPC’s new chief of police, has worked at the college for the past two years. He said he began looking into the possibility of creating a police department about a year ago.
For students, one of the most noticeable changes will be seeing SPC’s own uniformed officers and police vehicles on campus.
“The biggest thing they’ll see is our cars and us in uniform,” MacPherson said. “We’re very fortunate we’ve got some really good law enforcement partners already who come to our campuses on a fairly regular basis. Now they just get to see St. Pete College officers on there.”
MacPherson and Deputy Chief Tracy Smith are currently the department’s two sworn officers. SPC says it plans to expand the department over the next year by adding five more sworn officers.
College leaders say having its own police department will also give SPC officers greater access to information from other law enforcement agencies, including criminal histories. MacPherson said that can help officers respond more quickly and better assist students who may become victims of crimes.
Smith said the department will also focus on building relationships with students.
“It is a lot of access to information, being able to be more involved, building that trust with the students,” Smith said. “The students’ safety and success is paramount in a college setting, and it’s been proven if they feel safe, they do better and achieve more, so we want to make them feel safe.”
SPC says its current emergency procedures and methods for contacting campus public safety will remain unchanged.
While all state universities have their own police departments, SPC says it’s the eighth state college in Florida’s State College System to have its own sworn police department.