University of Missouri Police Department
| University of Missouri Police Department | |
| Common name | MU Police |
| Abbreviation | MUPD |
 | |
| Patch of the University of Missouri Police Department. | |
| Agency overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | 1954 (Traffic Safety and Security Department) 1971 (University Police Department) |
| Employees | 34 sworn officers 18 civilian employees [1] |
| Legal personality | Governmental: Government agency |
| Jurisdictional structure | |
| Operations jurisdiction* | State of Missouri, USA |
| Legal jurisdiction | University of Missouri property (primary) Boone County (secondary) |
| General nature | |
| Operational structure | |
| Headquarters | 901 Virginia Avenue Columbia, Missouri 65201 |
| Agency executive | Jack Watring, Chief of Police |
| Parent agency | University of Missouri |
| Website | |
| Official website | |
| Footnotes | |
| * Divisional agency: Division of the country, over which the agency has usual operational jurisdiction. | |
The University of Missouri Police Department (MUPD) is the law enforcement agency of the University of Missouri, a public research university located in Columbia, Missouri and the flagship campus of the University of Missouri System.
The agency’s primary jurisdiction is MU property, which includes the main campus plus other MU-owned or leased facilities, such as Mizzou North (the former Ellis Fischel Cancer Center) on Business Loop 70, KOMU-TV on U.S. Route 63, and various MU-operated clinics scattered throughout Columbia.[2][3]
MU police officers also have jurisdiction throughout Boone County (including the city of Columbia) through deputization with the Boone County Sheriff’s Department, sharing jurisdiction with the sheriff's department and the Columbia Police Department.[2]
Between three and five officers are on patrol at any given time; on Missouri Tigers football home game days, the entire force must be on duty.[2]
History
The agency was established as the "Traffic Safety and Security Department" in 1954. It became a 24-hour agency in 1964[4] and began sending officers to the Missouri State Highway Patrol's Basic Police Academy during the Vietnam War.[2] It became the University of Missouri Police Department in September 1971.[4]
The agency has been accredited by the Commission on Accreditation for Law Enforcement Agencies since 2001.[5][6]
Reports from the MU Police Department, along with the Columbia Police Department, were featured as part of two 2014 ESPN Outside the Lines investigations that focused on errors in how the university handled sexual assault cases.[7][8]
Organization
Department units
MUPD operates the following department units:[9]
- Accreditation
- Patrol
- Purchasing
- Payroll and Personnel
- Communications
- Records
- Security Service
- Campus Safety Officers
- Investigations
- Lost and Found
- Crime Prevention
Commissioned/sworn positions
MUPD uses the following ranks:[1]
| Title | Insignia |
|---|---|
| Chief of Police |  |
| Major |  |
| Captain |  |
| Lieutenant |  |
| Sergeant |  |
| Police Officer |  |
Equipment
The department's vehicle fleet consists of Ford vehicles, mainly the Police Interceptor Sedan and Utility (based on the Ford Taurus and Ford Explorer, respectively) and a few older Ford Crown Victoria Police Interceptor vehicles.[10] MUPD also uses bicycles to patrol the main campus.[2]
MU police officers are armed with Smith & Wesson M&P 9 handguns.[2]
See also
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Departmental Staff
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 The Justice League, Columbia Business Times
- ↑ Extended campus extends MUPD jurisdiction, The Maneater
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 MUPD History
- ↑ Accreditation
- ↑ MUPD receives high praise during accreditation meeting, The Maneater
- ↑ Mizzou did not pursue alleged assault
- ↑ Athletes, assaults and inaction
- ↑ Department Units
- ↑ MU, other police agencies exchange Crown Victoria sedans for SUVs, Columbia Missourian