New Security Officer Program Enhances Security, Supports UAPD on Campus

Photo by Matt Reynolds

University of Arkansas security officer Ben Kovach

FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. – The University of Arkansas has added three new security officers to patrol campus on foot primarily to supplement U of A police officers.

The new security officer program allows for more flexibility in security efforts on campus. The security officers will support campus events, provide traffic and security support where needed.

“The goal is to reduce crime through an increased visible presence through foot patrols on campus while supporting our police officers by providing assistance to citizens,” said Reggie Houser, a 36-year employee of the U of A and a previous police officer who oversees the program as executive security manager for the university.

The security officers use University of Arkansas Police Department radios to call police officers if needed but do not carry firearms or have full law enforcement authority to make arrests or issue citations. They will take the lead on things like unlocking vehicles, jumping batteries and providing crowd control and security at campus events so that police officers can focus on law enforcement duties.

The security officer uniforms are slightly different than UAPD to set them apart, with white shirts and a blue UAPD security patch. But both police and security officers can assist with any security, crime or safety issue on campus, as the security officers can call in police officers if law enforcement is needed.

The U of A’s first three security officers — Jacob Davis, Ben Kovach and Joe Zodrow — finished six weeks training with UAPD and started work in mid-December.

Davis is completing his undergraduate degree at the U of A, Kovach is working on his master’s degree, and Zodrow is a recent graduate.

Houser said they looked for law-enforcement career-minded candidates who might benefit from the experience and tuition assistance offered through U of A employment.

“We hope our security officers become our police officers over time,” Houser said. “This is like an in-house training program.”

While three security officers are currently funded, Houser would like to eventually grow the program to 10 officers so they can focus on more areas such as parking lot crime surveillance.

“I am thrilled we were able to start a security division of the Police Department,” UAPD Chief Steve Gahagans said. “This will help us in many ways, especially as we grow the department. The security team will assist in the overall safety of the university and will be of great service to the community.”