UCF PD gets new voice

Sgt. Troy Williamson knows from experience that when he walks into his office and sees the red light flashing on his answering machine, it's going to be a busy day.

As the new community relations supervisor for the UCF Police Department, many of his days begin with returning numerous phone calls and e-mails, but Williamson doesn't just sit at a desk all day. He stays busy contacting the media, organizing events and addressing any safety concerns students or staff may have about the campus.

It is Williamson's job to act as the liaison between the police department and the UCF community. This includes answering questions from parents and potential students in orientation groups, providing information to both UCF students and the local media, and working to prevent crime on campus.

"It's bringing back some memories," said Williamson, who was the community relations supervisor from 2000 to 2006. "The media part hasn't changed as much and the memories are still there as far as what to do and how to talk to the media."

In 2006, Sgt. James Roop took Williamson's position until they swapped positions this year.

On March 1, Williamson became community relations supervisor again and Roop took Williamson's former job as special events coordinator. Job swapping, according to Williamson, is done to make officers well-rounded and broaden their experience.

Like in many professions today, police officers are required to be able to operate in more than one field and must have a wide range of expertise.

"I'm always happy for changes," said Jeannette Emert, a 20-year-veteran of the UCF Police Department and member of the community relations team.

This type of job swapping happens fairly often within the department, about every four or five years.

"We need to know all the positions, so in case something happens like retirement, or moving to another job, we'll be able to fulfill all those positions," Williamson said.

Williamson moved here from Tampa 26 years ago, shortly after graduating from the police academy. He took a job as a patrol officer and has since worked his way up. He's seen the campus go through many drastic changes, such as the building of the Student Union.

Williamson has both goals and expectations for his new position, one of which is to inform students about what to do in the case of a shooter on campus. Williamson has been teaming up with Jeff Morgan, UCF's emergency management coordinator, to provide informative sessions for UCF students.

"We're putting on presentations for students and staff and faculty to show what to do in case there's a hostile shooter, or something along those lines where we need to lock down or get out," Williamson said.

Williamson and Morgan put on these presentations several times a month in hopes of preparing as many people as possible for an emergency situation. These presentations are held on campus, but seeing as the program is still new, there is not yet a Web site where students can get information on the Active Shooter program.

Students interested in attending a presentation can stop by Williamson's office, located in the John T. Washington Center, for more information.

Aside from recent changes in employment, the UCF Police Department's community relations office is also preparing for a change in venue. In July the officers staffed in the office located in the John T. Washington Center will be moving to the main police department building.

Williamson plans to retire in about four and a half years. Before he leaves, it will be his job to train another officer so that he or she can fill his vacant position.

Until then, he will be busy with his new position in the police department.

"The most important thing that we appreciate in this department is the fact that our students and staff and faculty give us the best communication possible in working with us, calling us and seeing if there's an incident or an issue, or reporting a suspicious person where we need to come out and take a look at it, and they inquire to what's going on," Williamson said.