By April Robertson
Lt. Matt Mills serves as the patrol services supervisor for the UA Police Department.
April: How long have you worked on the UA campus?
Lt. Mills: About 10 years now.
April: How does the UA atmosphere differ from other places you’ve worked?
Photo By Larry Ash
Mills: (In terms of other police departments), I worked at the Walmart Home Offices, so that was different because it was corporate America. Corporate America is much different because they are all about making money, keeping it coming in. At the UA, they are more focused on students, faculty and staff having a good atmosphere to work in. They are concerned with having a positive place to learn.
April: What is the most frequent violation you encounter?
Mills: In general, it’s theft. From buildings and cars.
April: Is that why the UAPD Web site offers a free engraving service of all valuables?
Mills: Yes, it’s one of the reasons we do that. People don’t usually keep the serial numbers that are needed. This service will engrave a name or an operator-applied number, something that the student comes up with that is easy to remember. We don’t use Social Security numbers because that would open the door to a whole new set of problems.
April: Are there any items in particular that you would suggest students should have engraved?
Mills: We suggest any electronics: computers, games, calculators or bikes.
April: Does the new bicycle policy and sticker help prevent theft?
Mills: The new bike stickers will help immensely. It doesn’t give an option (for theft). It works wonderfully.
April: We have 24 miles of roads, 75 parking lots and 150 buildings on campus. Do you feel the UA has enough police officers to patrol an area of that size, or are you always wishing for more help, more officers?
Mills: We’re limited through budget. But we have enough for the campus to be safe.
April: Do you see a link in the amount of crime on campus and incoming students? Are there any trends?
Mills: There is an increase in some crimes. Like anything, (you) will see it in some areas. A detailed list of those crimes can be found on the UAPD Web site under the tab “Clery Report,” which gives the statistics for each year.
April: And finally, what is the craziest thing you have ever seen on a job?
Mills: (Laughs.) This was several years ago. At a pep rally, there was a fraternity that had two guys dress up – one in a banana suit and the other in a gorilla suit – and they chased each other around the Greek Theater. We told them to stop and that we would arrest them if they came back. They came back. We caught the gorilla, but the banana got away.