Police chief describes one call for service which left lasting memory

Television and movies portray police officers as individuals who respond to cut-throat situations, saving helpless people from the danger that lurks around every corner.

At UNC Charlotte our Police and Public Safety Department employs 40 officers who work to keep campus safe for students, faculty, staff and visitors. They respond to weekly incidents of larceny, auto accidents, vandalism and drug abuse. Some days the incident lead to an arrest.

Other days, campus police receive calls for service that are not as serious. Sometimes the calls are downright ridiculous. Jeffrey Baker, chief of police at UNC Charlotte, recalls one of those times.

“In policing, there are so many crazy calls. And I’ve spent a lot of time policing,” said Baker as he reflected on his two years working with the UNC Charlotte police. “I guess the most ridiculous call would be when we had a call from a person that wanted to speak with an officer because they were told they couldn’t sit in a classroom.”

This individual was attempting to use the resources inside the classroom for what they said was work for another university. “They say that as part of their work for [the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)] they needed to use our facilities,” said Baker. “Well first of all, he wasn’t really a MIT student. He was a little touched.”

Campus police escorted the individual off campus. “We told him he couldn’t do that,” said Baker. “That was just a kind of crazy little call that came to mind.”