Community Caretaking 'Community Caretaking' relies on the dual concepts of eliminating or minimizing criminal opportunities and encouraging community members to take responsibility for their own and others’ safety. A primary goal of the Department is to develop and maintain strong lasting partnerships with the local community. Together with other campus offices, the department provides programs to enhance personal safety and teach proactive crime-reduction strategies. Our philosophy of 'community policing' has taken significant strides with the launching of several Community Liaison Programs which broaden involvement and crime prevention education within the community. Coach’s Corner Meet Coach, a female black Labrador retriever, trained to provide comfort and care. She is a full-time therapy dog that joined the ranks of DPS in 2021, and who’s only job is to make people feel better. Her handler and full-time caretaker is Detective Sergeant Alvan Flanders. Coach came to Princeton from Puppies Behind Bars, a nonprofit organization that works with people in prison to train service dogs for wounded war veterans and first responders. Coach is a highly trained dog who supports Public Safety’s community caretaking mission. She is not a police canine, and does not sniff for drugs nor explosives. She can, however, perform countless tricks, from saluting and high-fiving to taking a bow and playing peek-a-boo. Coach is calm and approachable, comfortable in crowns and around young, college-aged people. Feel free to stop her for a pet, belly rub, hug or handshake whenever you see her on campus. Community Liaison Officers DPS encourages its officers to engage the various student organizations across the campus, by developing liaison or partnership roles with them. A few examples of these partnerships are with the ROTC, Athletics, Butler College, Grad College, etc. The officer assigned to each student organization is responsible for educating and mentoring our students to ensure safety and security. DPS officers want to promote self awareness about the crimes that occur on college campuses, such as unattended theft, sexual assault, and underage drinking. Our officers meet regularly with their assigned groups to provide support, engage in Q&A, and interact as first responders. These partnership roles allow for ease of communication and the betterment of relationships between students and our officers. Connections While protecting its community remains at the fore of DPS’ mission, we also recognize the importance of partnerships in our endeavors to provide the best possible service. At every opportunity our officers look to ‘Connect’ with their community and in doing so, learn from it, share ideas with it and together build a safe and secure environment for everyone. Take a look at some of the ‘value-adds’ our department provides its community, by clicking the link: Eating Club Officers (ECHO'S) The EChO mission statement is: “To cultivate and expand the line of communication between the Department of Public Safety and the eating clubs, so the needs and concerns of both parties can be addressed, and to develop a partnership approach to making the student experience a positive and safe one.” Recognizing the opportunity to reach another segment of the student community in an informal setting, the Department of Public Safety Eating Club Officer (EChO) program was established. Each eating club has a DPS liaison officer who meets with the club officers and members on a regular basis to discuss a broad variety safety topics and address concerns. Education and Awareness Presentations By addressing various groups across the University, DPS is able to educate and inform the community about issues that concern its safety and well-being. In addition, DPS organizes and sets up crime prevention and education display tables which are staffed by an officer at the beginning of the year. This activity provides an opportunity for DPS staff to hand out safety-related information, as well as to answer individual questions. If you would like request a safety presentation for your department or student group please visit our “Request Safety Presentations” page to access the form.
