St. Petersburg College has launched its own police department, putting sworn law enforcement officers on campus alongside its existing security team.

The new St. Petersburg College Police Department will give the college direct access to law enforcement information and the authority to respond to and investigate incidents on campus. College leaders say that includes access to other agencies’ information, such as criminal histories. Chief Andrew MacPherson says that access can help officers respond faster and better assist students who become victims of crime.

The campus security team will stay in place. The college says its emergency procedures and the ways to reach campus public safety will not change.

MacPherson has worked at the college for two years and began exploring a department about a year ago. He and Deputy Chief Tracy Smith are the department’s only sworn officers for now. The college plans to add five more sworn officers over the next year.

MacPherson says students will see the change most in uniforms and patrol vehicles. He says local law enforcement agencies already visit SPC campuses regularly, and now they will also see the college’s own officers.

Smith says the department will also work on building trust with students. She says safer students do better academically, and that the aim is to make them feel safe.

All of Florida’s state universities already have their own police departments. SPC says it is the eighth state college in the Florida College System to create a sworn department.

Follow the St. Pete-Clearwater Sun on Facebook, Google, & X

St. Pete-Clearwater Sun: local St. Pete-Clearwater & Tampa Bay, FL news at PIE-Sun.com