USU Police always on the clock
The officers of the USU Police Department employs some of the few campus workers who work 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Campus police have been providing law enforcement services for the university since 1981.
The campus police are certified state law enforcement, and though they mainly cover the USU campus, they also give assistance to the Logan City Police Department.
“Some students think that the only time we are around is when something negative happens,” said Officer Sutton Hanzalik. “We’re here to help.”
Hanzalik is from California and was a student at Utah State in the early 1980s. He played running back for the football team, met his wife and earned a degree in physical education at USU.
He said he and his family moved back to Logan from California because they felt like it was a good place to raise their two kids. Hanzalik has been working for the campus police for 10 years. He plans to move back to California after he retires.
Officer Trevor Larson has been working in law enforcement for five years, including three years at Dixie State before he and his wife moved back to Cache Valley, where they grew up.
Larson said he didn’t always want to be a police officer growing up, but as he reached his later teens he liked the idea more and more.
“I had a few influences that were in the FBI, and as I got older I became interested in law enforcement. I just decided to go for it and here I am,” he said. “It’s an interesting job. It’s something new every day.”
Both Larson and Hanzalik are patrol officers. They are the police in charge of patrolling campus in vehicles and on foot.
“We do a lot of building and foot patrols to make sure no crimes are being committed, since a lot of buildings are open until midnight on campus,” Hanzalik said. “We also are patrolling the roads to make sure drivers are giving pedestrians the right of way and following traffic rules.”
The officers said they were motivated to do their jobs to help keep the students and staff of USU safe.
“I like being out with the students and being out with the community doing foot patrol,” Hanzalik said. “I didn’t want a desk job.”
As part of the services they perform, the campus police assist people who have locked their keys in their car, recharge dead batteries and help students and staff in whatever ways they can.
When asked about the negative feelings sometimes felt toward law enforcement officials, Larson said it is just the nature of the job.
“If people need us, they want us there. If they need our help and assistance, they’re our best friends.” Larson said. “If they don’t want us around and we’re there, they don’t want to have that relationship.”
Officer Hanzalik recognizes many people have had negative experiences with police.
“You probably have half these students saying, ‘Look at that knucklehead cop trying to catch somebody,'” Hanzalik said. “I’m out here to protect you. You should be happy I’m out here instead of annoyed.”
“People don’t want to be told what to do,” Larson said. “We all want our freedoms. As officers, we understand that’s what people want, but there has to be some type of law or rule.”
When asked about what dangers were most prominent at USU, Hanzalik said fraud was the most common crime.
“When you’re 18 or 19, and I know I was like this at that time, you want to try and do it all on your own. That’s when you fall for it,” he said.
He said at least five students have lost at least $2,000 in fraud cases.
Larson said theft is another big problem.
“If you want something stolen, just leave it lying around,” he said. “We’ve seen so many cases where people turn their backs for just a minute and someone steals something.”
Despite the negativity they sometimes face, Hanzalik said their job is very rewarding.
“Being a part of the community and helping definitely makes this job worthwhile,” Hanzalik said.
“I’ve had some really neat experiences through this job that I just would never have otherwise,” Larson said. “I can say that it has made me a better person, and I know I’ve made a difference.”
– derrick.saunders91@aggiemail.usu.edu