by Katy Knapp
Daily Lobo
After growing up on re-runs of "Cops," I had some pre-conceived notions about what police officers deal with. The idea of riding along with a UNM police officer initially made me a little nervous. The waiver I had to sign to accept full responsibility if I was hurt or killed didn't help the jitters.
I was pleasantly surprised, however, when I arrived and everyone in the precinct was extremely friendly and professional. I was introduced to the officer assigned to take me on my ride-along, Germaine Casey. Some off-hand joke I made about forgetting to bring the donuts helped me break the ice, and after that, I felt completely comfortable.
We got into the patrol car and started cruising around Redondo Drive. Not long after, a call came over the radio about an attempted bike theft near the Duck Pond. We spent the next half hour or so searching, including an all-access tour of Zimmerman Library. We never found the suspect, but through the course of the day, I gained a newfound respect for the officers who keep our campus safe.
A lot of students don't think the UNM Police Department has fully-commissioned officers, said Casey, who moved here from Chicago a year ago.
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The department is funded by the state and has 23 officers including bicycle, K-9 and motorcycle units.
UNMPD's jurisdiction extends as far south as the UNM Championship Golf Course and north to the Elks Lodge on University Boulevard.
Casey said a police presence on campus is important because of UNM's urban location. "Just because it's UNM, (it) doesn't mean that criminal activity can't spill onto the campus," he said. "It is definitely a lot safer than it used to be."
Most of the calls UNMPD receives are for stolen books, backpacks and bicycles. Occasionally, more serious calls come in.
Casey said an auto theft call from the parking structure on Las Lomas Road led to a high-speed pursuit.
"It went all the way to Broadway and Lead," he said. "We had to break that off, because the pursuit got too dangerous."
Skateboarders are another common complaint from the University community.
"They can use (skateboards) for transportation on campus," Casey said, adding trick skateboarding is not allowed because of damage to UNM property.
Casey said a lot of repeat offenders run as soon as they see him, but most of them are young kids who don't know the rules.
"In that case, I will inform them of our policy and then write their name down," he said. That way if he catches them again, he knows if they've already been warned.
"I don't want to harass them," Casey said. "I'm just doing my job."
UNMPD also writes speeding tickets in its jurisdiction. Unlike other police departments, UNM officers do not have a monthly quota.
Casey recommended all drivers on campus follow the rules of the road. He said he pulls over a lot of people for avoidable things such as running stop signs and cracked windshields.
"I don't like writing tickets," he said. "My goal is not to make people's lives harder. My goal is to educate and serve and protect."
The department has added one more motorcycle, which Casey said he is excited about.
"Being on a bike allows a lot more stealth when approaching a situation," he said.
Casey said being on campus requires him to be a little friendlier than officers from other jurisdictions.
"I like to get out and about and meet people," he said. "I want people to see me and say 'Oh! There's Officer Casey!' I don't want to be a hard nose."
