Sagebrushers season 3 ep. 15: w88 slot Chief of Police Eric James

President Brian Sandoval: This is Sagebrushers the podcast of the w88 slot. Welcome back, Wolf Pack family. I'm your host, University President Brian Sandoval. Our University employs a full-time staff of sworn police officers as part of the University Police Department Northern Command, serving not only our University, but Truckee Meadows Community College, Desert Research Institute, Western w88 slot College and Great Basin College. So let's get started. Today's guest is Assistant Vice President and Chief of Police, Eric James. Chief James began his career at the w88 slot Police in 2003. He has served as a range instructor, training officer and post instructor. He has long supported workplace safety, sexual assault prevention, education about the dangers of underage drinking, self-defense training and more. Before his work with the University Police, Chief James served the United States Marine Corps for 12 years. Today's podcast is being recorded in the @One in the Mathewson-IGT Knowledge Center. Welcome to Sagebrushers. I'm truly excited to share with our listeners more about the important work of our police department.

Chief Eric James: Well, thank you, sir. Thank you for the invite.

Sandoval: No, very excited that you're here. So, to kick off, can you share with our listeners what inspired you to pursue a career in law enforcement, particularly in a w88 slot environment?

James: So, when I was in the Marine Corps, I was stationed out in the Mountain Warfare Training Center, which is down on Sonora Pass, the 108. And we used to come up for University football games, and so while I was in the Marine Corps, we would come up here and attend those. When I got out, I had met my future wife; we decided to go to San Diego. When I was down there trying to transition, I was like, “Let's go back to w88 slot.” So, we went back to Reno. It was just something that drew me into policing. One was to be able to serve people and help people, but then two, the university setting is just so unique. I can still remember sitting at the Wall saying, “I'm going to work at this place one day,” and I got the opportunity out of the academy and been here ever since.

Sandoval: Let's talk some more about that because you said there's something special about working in a w88 slot environment. So, what's different between being, I'll just call it a traditional law enforcement for city or county and working at the w88 slot?

James: Well, there's a lot that is the same. However, it's the people that we serve. So, we serve students, faculty and staff along with anyone coming onto campus. We deal with the issues that we're trying to solve every day. So, when an officer takes a report, no matter what it is, he or she takes that report from start to finish. We don't just pass it off to someone to finish a report or if there's a traffic accident, you know, our motor cops go out and they do the traffic accident. We don't ask for assistance unless it’s needed. And so, I like to think that we're a very well-rounded because we're really good at a whole bunch of things, not just focused on one area. Like you see a lot of traditional law enforcement agencies with, they have a complete division that only handles A, B or C. All of our officers are skilled to handle all of those issues on their own.

Sandoval: So, I had the benefit of attending a really nice reception that was sponsored by Regent Heather Brown and our chancellor. And I met a young man who recently transferred from a local law enforcement agency. What's going to be different for him for working in local law enforcement and working here on campus?

James: I think for him one is going to be the culture of the department. He's already made numerous comments that the ability, the way that people talk to each other using first names and having actual conversations. But for him, two it's the ability to go out and talk to people and try to help them solve their problem versus going to the next call, the next call, the next call. And that's something he did share with me. He goes, “I like the pace that I'm able to take a little bit of extra time to help someone, whether that's find the Joe or help with the traffic accident or help someone who just needs assistance. I'm able to do that. Because I’m not being rushed to go do something else.” He said he always felt rushed like I had to solve it now, now, now he's like now I can actually solve the problem that maybe I won't have to come back. Maybe I will. But at least I felt like I've done more this time.

Sandoval: And many law enforcement agencies aspire to be that community policing organization that you kind of described. But this truly is that. Are there other special programs that we have here that may not exist in other law enforcement agencies?

James: I think so. Number one, our officers are embedded with our community. So, our officers and our civilian staff, they may attend classes with students. They may be over at the Wiegand Fitness Center; they may be having lunch with students, and so they're already embedded. But two, we also offer a lot of things I think that other traditional agencies don't. Things like Girls on Guard is a drop-in class at Wiegand that people can just stop in and take a self-defense class. We offer workplace violence classes. We offer personal safety classes. Um, we offer anything that someone would want, especially coming from a police department, we're there. We like to think that we're the one-stop shop. So if you're asking for something, we're here to provide it. All you got to do is ask. And so, we spend a lot of time inside that community, whether that's walking around campus, whether that's you know, teaching an active shooter [safety training] to the Med School or the History Department. We're always trying to do things to make sure we're getting in because our final phrase every time that we get done is, “Hey, if you see me on campus, come over and say hi, I'm human too.” And that's how we really build and try to focus on those relationships. I think that we have a really, really good interpersonal communications and communication skills with the students of faculty and staff that we serve.

Sandoval: And you do have on your staff some individuals that aren't fully sworn officers. So what are some of their responsibilities?

James: We have community service officers (CSO) and what they do is they basically go out and try to assist in a way that's just a little bit lower level than say a police officer. And so, if they see something that they know is going to need a police officer, they'll call for a police officer. But maybe it's taking a cold report of a stolen bike, maybe it's assisting someone unlocking a door, maybe it's assisting with a jumpstart. They just kind of handle those things out on foot patrol, hitting a lot of our satellite properties. As you know, I mean between TMCC and UNR, a lot of satellite properties in Washoe County. So they're down at those satellite properties talking to people, maybe taking reports, maybe even doing some classes with them. But the nice thing about our CSOs is they're able to connect with the community because they are the community. They were students that were here; now they work for us, and it's just such a great relationship, and the way that they think, they think like a student more so than probably I or yourself do. And so they're able to connect with them I think in a lot more genuine fashion than maybe we could.

Sandoval: So, this campus is essentially a small city. We have 20,000 students, several thousand faculty and staff and then visitors on campus. What would you describe as some of your biggest safety concerns that we have?

James: Great question. Part of our biggest safety concerns is property theft. I mean, that is probably our number one thing, minus underage drinking, alcohol use, things of that nature. And so, a lot of our cold calls tend to be property theft or destructions of property. We do a lot of public escorts, which I think help people a lot makes them feel a little bit safer. Traffic is always a concern, especially our crosswalks around campus, just for the mere fact that there's so many students walking back and forth, and I'm sure everyone has driven up on Virginia Street when it's busy. That pedestrian has a responsibility as well as the driver. So that is another concern of ours as well. And then it's in those evening times in some of those areas that are a little bit darker. We're in those areas to make sure if they're in those areas, they see us; we see them because we do want people to feel they can walk all over this campus. My kids go here. I have a vested interest in their safety on this campus. And for me, knowing that they take night classes and they walk this campus with no concerns, that makes me feel good not only as a father, but also as the chief of police.

Sandoval: No, and you bring up a really important issue because I meet with prospective students and their parents often, and their number one concern is the safety of their son or daughter. They want them to feel safe. So, what would you tell them?

James: My line is always, this is the safest 300 acres in Northern Nevada. It really is. Not only the relationships that we build here on campus but also those external partners with our other law enforcement agencies. They're always willing to assist at the drop of the hat if needed. The surrounding areas are patrolled heavily just based upon the students that are there, and we know that they're there. Parents ask, “What's the number one problem?” It's theft, right? So, we try to school them on, “Make sure you got serial numbers, make sure you have all those things.” If it does get stolen, we can do our due diligence to ensure you can get your stuff back if it's entered in the system. The other side of it, of course, is this is an open institution and a land grant institution; people are allowed to come onto campus. And so, we do get people say, “Hey, does that person belong on campus?” And they're not doing anything wrong. They're perfectly able to be on campus, and that can be challenging when you're trying to explain to someone that individual's allowed on campus just like that individual over there. And I think trying to get at more of a global view versus just a minute, it's happening right here, I think sometimes helps. But also, with all of our blue phones all over campus and the ability to use Pack Watch and 911 systems, I think are very helpful and really helping parents understand that we have so many layers of safety here. Their student is absolutely safe on this campus.

Sandoval: And we made some investments on campus recently with regard to safety.

James: We did. We invested almost .5 million just in the retrofitting all the camera systems on campus. And that was a pretty heavy lift. That took almost a year and a half. But now all of our camera systems are not only interlinked but give us a crystal clear 4K picture. The system that we were using was very antiquated. This is all digital. We can go back in time according to the w88 slot policy, up to 30 days to look at things. And we are very, very successful now not only seeing what's happening but being able to see details person's face, the color of their clothing, what they're wearing, what they're riding, what they're driving. And so, it has absolutely helped in helping with the safety of our students, faculty and staff

Sandoval: And door locks as well.

James: We have active shooter locks on all of our classroom campus doors have active shooter locks. I'm pretty sure that as we move forward, especially with the NSHE Safety Security Committee, that is going to be something that's pushed out. But the w88 slot spent almost 0,000 starting four years ago and working to get those all done. And so, all of them have those active shooter locks. And so, taking safety has always been a priority one for the w88 slot.

Sandoval: So, moving to a different subject over the past year or two, we've had demonstrations on campus. There's a lot happening in the world. How do you manage all of that?

James: Carefully is the answer. So, we have to treat everyone, we are content-neutral. And so the message doesn't matter to us. The only thing that matters to us is the individuals and their ability to hold their rally, their protest, whatever it may be, so they can demonstrate and they can have their free speech just like someone wants to counter-protest it. We have to take action on that to say, “You can do the same thing, but you can't drown out what they're saying.” And so it is a balancing act a lot of times because sometimes the speech that people hear, they don't agree with. But that's the speech that we have to protect the most is the things that people don't want to hear. And so we balance it well. We work very well with our partners in Northern w88 slot to ensure the safety. When someone does a protest that we put things in place, we have a layered approach to everything that when they do it, knowing that they can go out there and they can use their First Amendment right to express their feelings and they will be safe in doing so and they will be heard as well.

Sandoval: But there is a line between civil discourse and civil disobedience.

James: There absolutely is. When you incite, or incite anyone to do and commit a crime, you now cross that line. The courts have been very clear on that, but there's always a line. And sometimes that line can be fuzzy with things that are said, but there definitely is a line. And I would like to give a shout-out to the ASUN (the Associated Students of the w88 slot)’s Sandy Rodriguez. When she sets up, she has basically, it's like a First Amendment website that says, “Here are the things that you can do. Here are the things you can't do for that civil discourse.” And I think educating those students on what they can do has been very helpful because it's made our job a little bit easier. We don't look at the content; we only look at the law. And so, if they're doing everything right and that someone doesn't like the content, that's not a police issue. It might be another issue, but it's not a police issue. And so working closely with our campus partners to ensure people can do things in a lawful manner is a number one priority, and that's what we really try to strive to do.

Sandoval: No, and you said it, I mean there are time, place and manner restrictions there.

James: Absolutely.

Sandoval: So, you can have this, but you can't be disrupting class. You can't be getting in the way of students.

James: Right. You can't block ingresses and egresses. You can't drown out what's happening in an academic classroom. If someone is having a protest, you can't come out with a boombox and try to drown what they're doing outside. The w88 slot does have rules specifically around time, place and manner that the students, when they want to protest, are educated on. So, they understand that prior to coming in so they're not blindsided. And I think that we do a really good job of balancing that stuff to include, let's say we had a political rally. We know that people might want to counter-protest it. So, we take the initiative to say, that's the protest area over there. This is what you can and can't do. And we've been very successful on that side of it.

Sandoval: No, that's great. And the people have seen in the media, occupied buildings and camps, campsites and things that hasn't happened here.

James: That has not happened here. Not only policy, but law restricts that from happening on campus. And again, I think education is very important. I know that including yourself when you meet with groups, having those conversations. But on our side, it's also intelligence gathering to go, “What's happening in other places, and how do we mitigate that from not happening here?”

Sandoval: Now, you have a victim advocate on staff who works with students, faculty and staff and others to connect them with resources. Can you talk a little bit about that?

James: Absolutely. So, Daela Gibson handles our victim advocacy. So, that could be anywhere from someone who's experienced a stolen bicycle or stolen laptop all the way to the victim of a crime of a sexual attack or sexual assault of some kind. And so, she works with individuals to help navigate whether that's some type of reimbursement to assist, whether that's assisting getting a temporary protection order, whether that's just talking through having someone listen, finding the resources, working with counseling services. And she does a very good job of navigating those waters because honestly, people need someone to help them because the system is so big and could be so much at one time. She's just so good at helping victims moving to and from and then following up with them to make sure that they're doing okay. And she also has her service animal Aspen with her. So it's always nice to have a labradoodle with you when you're talking to the victim advocate.

Sandoval: Yeah, of course. And you alluded to this, so not just victim advocate, but we have mental health services on campus, and you have the ability to steer people to get those services.

James: Yani Dickens over in the Counseling Center has been absolutely a fabulous partner. And if we need someone seen right now, we can pick up that phone, and we can get that individual in. We'll help them get over there. Counseling may have someone who needs some assistance. We'll go over and meet with them. Cheryl Hug-English up at Student Health does a fabulous job, gives us a call and says, “Can you guys come up here and help us out with this?” So, I think overall, the mental health checkups that need to occur and do occur, everyone does a very good job of working together toensure our students and faculty and staff are getting what they need.

Sandoval: So, we obviously, law enforcement changes, evolves. What do you see changing with what you do?

James: That's a great question. I think the use of drone technology is going to really start to take off in the next 10 years. I think the use of.

Sandoval: No pun intended, there?

James: No pun intended there.

James: Good catch. Yeah. I also see AI starting to play a really pivotal role in law enforcement just because of the things that it can do that a human can't to assist it, whether it's. There are already at least a dozen companies that you can put in audio, you can put in video, and an AI program can start to look at these things and start to formulate not only a report for you, but here might be some follow-up steps. And so, it really does help in that aspect. So, I see those two things really taking off in the next few years.

Sandoval: You collaborate, for example, with the School of Social Work, correct?

James: We do. In fact, she's sitting in the station right now. We have the School of Social Work and my Deputy Chief Josh Reynolds get together, and then we take applications, see who would like to come work at the police department a couple days a week. That individual goes out and rides with the officers and then gets an opportunity to use some of the skills that they may have learned out in the field in a fairly protected area because the officer's always with them, but the chance to talk to people and really put those practical skills to use, I think in some manner that they wouldn't get a chance to do. On the other side of that, we've been working with Dr. Hines up in the School of Medicine using our virtual reality system with the nursing students. And so, they're able to put nursing students into scenarios through VR that they could never have anywhere else except in there. And then give them training and then bring them back in and say, “What did you learn?” And watch them evolve, and “Okay, this is how I'm going to handle it. I've had the training.” So, we collaborate with a lot of different areas on campus.

Sandoval: Well, I didn't even know that. So, that's incredible. That's incredible. And unfortunately, that's all the time we have. But I want to thank you, Chief and your officers and your staff, for the incredible job that you do in keeping this campus safe and how innovative you are and available. And I could go on and on.

James: Thank you, President Sandoval. I really appreciate that.

Sandoval: So, join us next time for another episode of Sagebrushers as we continue to tell the stories that make our w88 slot special and unique. Until then, I'm w88 slot President Brian Sandoval, and go Pack!