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Police Operations

The CMU Police Department strives to provide exceptional law enforcement and community-oriented services in order to create a safe campus environment. To efficiently and effectively accomplish this, our department utilizes standard patrol tactics, as well as specialized areas to suit our community's needs. Please click below for information on each specific area:

Uniformed division

The officers of Central Michigan University's Police Department are all certified police officers. They have full arrest and police powers as does any other police officer. The CMU Police Department not only provides police services to the campus community 24 hours per day, 7 days per week, but provides extended services to the members of the campus community which other police agencies may not. The department provides the following services:

  • Conducting conspicuous and preventive vehicular patrols.
  • Conducting conspicuous and preventative mountain bike patrols.
  • Conducting initial and follow-up investigations.
  • Preparing investigative or incident reports, detailing criminal and non-criminal incidents.
  • Providing campus vehicular traffic control and enforcement.
  • Answering all calls for medical problems and responds with the proper medical assistance until EMS arrives.
  • Providing educational information on crime prevention to campus groups.
  • Assisting motorists in retrieving their keys from inside their locked vehicle.
  • Responding to all emergency calls.

The CMU Police Department exists to serve and protect the members of the campus community. If a desired service is not listed above, do not hesitate to contact the office at 989-774-3081. The services we provide extend far beyond the limited list above. If the department personnel cannot provide assistance, a referral to the appropriate department or person will be made.

Community policing

Community Police Offices

East complex - FEW Lobby

Towers complex - Kulhavi Hall 

The Central Michigan University Police Department currently has two full-time Community Policing Officers. Officer Covarrubias' office is located in Kulhavi Hall, room 130 within the Towers complex, and Officer Chapman's office is adjacent to the Fabiano/Emmons/Woldt lobby. The Community Policing Officers are responsible for working with students and staff to improve the quality of life for residents by reducing the amount of crimes that occur in the halls.

Many of our other police officers participate in partnership programs with various residence halls or student organizations on campus. They act as a liaison between the group and the police department by attending their organizational meetings, conducting public education and information sessions, and participating in their organizational activities. The partnership program has helped spread the community policing philosophy department-wide, enhancing the level of safety and security enjoyed by the entire campus community.

Community policing officers work closely with the Residence Life staff as well as residents in each quad. The ultimate goal is to identify and address crime and disorder problems in the residence halls. Crime prevention takes on renewed importance in community policing, as both the police and its citizens become partners in identifying and solving problems. Without that cooperation, it is very difficult to decrease the amount of crime that occurs. In the event you experience specific problems or difficulties while attending CMU, please feel free to stop by our offices, phone us, or email us to discuss them. We're here to help make your stay at CMU a safe and enjoyable one.​

Bicycle patrol

Bike patrol allows officers to not only get out and see places that are difficult to reach from a patrol car, but it makes officers more approachable by students and staff.

CMU police officers in the bike patrol unit have attended extensive training with other police departments throughout the state.

The training received includes defensive and offensive riding, patrol techniques, stair ascent and descent, and many hours of riding time. Bike Patrol officers' daily activity varies from routine patrol in isolated areas and crowd control at special events, to traffic stops on motor vehicles. This addition to the CMU Police Department has energized the officers and has received praise from the campus community.

Emergency services team

The Isabella County Emergency Services Team is a multi-jurisdictional emergency response team. The team consists of officers from the CMU Police Department, Mt. Pleasant Police Department and the Isabella County Sheriff's Department. The officers from each of these departments fill roles as tactical officers and crisis negotiators on the EST.

Prior to appointment to the EST, officers must go through an interview process and a physical fitness test. The fitness test consists of push-ups, sit-ups, bench press, obstacle course, dummy drag, and a one-mile run. These minimum fitness standards must be maintained to remain a member of the team.

The EST is utilized for emergency situations such as barricaded suspects, hostage situations and suicidal subjects. The team is also utilized for non-emergency situations like high-risk arrests, and the execution of high-risk search warrants.

As a tactical member of the EST, officers are trained in several areas including, tactical entries, building clearing and defensive tactics. Tactical team members are also trained in several different weapons. Minimum standards are set for weapon proficiency and must be maintained while on the team.

Crisis negotiators are responsible for contacting and communicating with suspects. They are also responsible for the dissemination of the information learned to the team commander and on to the tactical team.

The CMU Police Department has three officers assigned to the tactical unit of the Emergency Services Team.

Dispatch center

Staffed by full and part-time dispatchers, our Dispatch Center provides service to the campus community on a 24-hour basis, seven days a week. As the answering point for all landline 911 calls from campus, it is classified as a Public Safety Answering Point. Our staff handles all calls for emergency service — police, fire and emergency medical services.

Our dispatch also receives all calls to the department's non-emergency/business numbers. An average day results in handling 200-300 telephone calls in addition to police radio traffic.

In the evening and during the weekends, temporary and visitor parking permits are available from the dispatch office. Visitors who receive a parking violation may have them voided at our office.

Unlike many larger dispatch centers, it may be necessary to place your call on hold to handle other issues of an emergency priority. If this should happen, please bear with us as we promise to answer your call and get you the service you need in the quickest possible time.