ASU Police Department joins project promoting peaceful law enforcement
Jul 23, 2022, 5:00 AM
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University Police Department)
(Facebook Photo/Arizona State University Police Department)
PHOENIX — The Arizona State University Police Department announced Wednesday it has joined a national program that looks to change the narrative of law enforcement to a more peaceful tone.
The Peace Officer Project uses framework and training to focus policing on resolving problems while enforcing the law.
“It’s important to note it isn’t ‘Police Officer Standards’ we are held accountable to, but the ‘Peace Officer Standards’ taught by AZPOST (Arizona Peace Officer Standards and Training) since its inception,” ASU Police Chief Michael Thompson said in a press release.
“The difference between the two is important, and too often overlooked in our field. We’re hoping to change this and get back to our roots.”
The project, which the department joined in May, puts an emphasis on community engagement and collaboration.
“Our job, especially in a community-focused department like ours, is to be a force of de-escalation and peace,” Thompson said.
“For this reason, we are taking the moniker of ‘Peace Officer’ to heart, and will begin transitioning our internal structure to reflect this.”
A promise the department is making as part of the project is to do its best to control crime while doing “everything in our power to do no harm to the communities we serve and protect.”
“Although this commitment is nothing new for the officers at ASUPD, it’s important to publicly state and outwardly express a sentiment already heavily emphasized within the department,” Thompson said.
Around 18,000 departments across the nation have joined the free program that is part of the nonprofit organization Police2Peace, according to the official website.
