The University of Utah Department of Public Safety (DPS) has been working closely with Housing & Residential Education (HRE) to strengthen relationships and build trust. Together, they have found ways for all public safety units — police, security, and emergency management — to develop custom training, a new position, and other opportunities to connect during non-emergencies.
Chief Safety Officer Keith Squires sees this collaboration as critical to reaching the University’s Impact 2030 goals. “Our campus is growing rapidly, and physical safety is a core element of student success, Squires said. “One of the ways we’re preparing for this growth is by finding ways to work directly with students and staff in the residence halls. Our approach is department-wide –our security teams, police officers, and emergency management professionals are all working together to provide resources and build relationships.”
These interactions allow public safety staff to work with residents and staff in a positive, non-threatening environment, with a focus on finding solutions.
“With the communication lines we’ve developed with HRE, we’ve been able to solve many problems and prevent many situations,” explained Ryan Speers, U of U police lieutenant. “This partnership helps us know what is happening on campus, so it is more than just police doing police work. It’s about talking to the students and having relationships with them and the HRE staff to help create a safe environment for all.”
In addition to frequent meetings to tackle projects like adding cameras in new properties and regularly holding training sessions, both teams use this partnership to build opportunities for officers, student leaders, and professional employees.
“Training our security officers on how to provide good customer service has been very beneficial,” said Jason Huntsman, associate director of U of U Campus Security. “We have recently added another element to that training, collaborating with HRE staff to go over expectations and make sure students and visitors receive the same service when our officers are posted at the desk at night.”
Within HRE, Resident Advisors (RA), Community Advisors (CA), and professional area duty staff receive specialized, ongoing training in emergency management procedures, safety jobs responsibilities, boundaries, safety education, and how their roles can effectively work together while assisting law enforcement and safety personnel in different situations.
For 2025, Emergency Management is preparing an active aggressor exercise in HRE properties. Following a three-step model: “Plan—Train—Exercise,” both teams are actively working on the activity.
“We’re in the planning phase, and then we’ll conduct the training and exercise,” explained Stormy Sideria, associate director of Emergency Management. “It’s one thing to talk about a situation like this, and it’s another to actually go through the motions. This type of exercise is important for all the participants to be prepared, not only the stakeholders but also the police and our team.”
New Residence Life Resource officer, a pilot program
This fall, a pilot program will be launched based on the collaboration between DPS and HRE. A Residence Life Resource officer will be posted at Kahlert Village, the most populated residence on campus with 1,400 first-year residents.
“The model is something that I’ve seen implemented at other institutions and something that I’ve been attracted to bring at the University of Utah,” said Sean Grube, associate vice president of Housing & Residential Education. “Safety is our utmost priority, and we know students also value it. The idea in this partnership with DPS, when we came together, is to create a position accessible to students; someone who is there, where they are, and that provides easy access to resources.”
The Residence Life Resource officer will attend community programs and HRE events and provide a visible presence that translates into a resource to students, helping them navigate the ins and outs of living in a higher education setting. For the University of Utah Police Department, this new position comes naturally with the growth of the Salt Lake campus.
“Residence life continues to grow, and we need to evolve,” explained Jason Hinojosa, U of U administrative captain. “We have a very similar process going on with our partners at U Health and the hospital, and it is a step in the right direction. There’s a crucial educational aspect of this position; we’re hoping that when we demystify the reason why there are police on campus, hopefully students will feel more comfortable coming forward to report a situation with someone they know and trust in their community.”