Another string of numbers and locations scrambled through the muddy speaker of Officer McKenna Robinson’s radio pack as the stationary patrol car hummed in the afternoon sun. An endless river of students traversed the crosswalk in front of us.
I made a quip about using the siren to get out of such a situation, when the foot traffic renders roads through the University of Tennessee to be almost unusable. Robinson laughed it off, saying it’s part of the job — patience.
On a ride along with Robinson, I saw the patient, vigilant work done by the University of Tennessee Police Department (UTPD) that keeps campus safe. He said it’s more proactive work than anything, preventing crime and reassuring students by posting officers on constant, fluid patrols.
“We’re always on the move, never just assigned to one location to watch and wait,” Robinson said.
From my correspondence with Ryan Moore, the public information officer at the department, he said officers at the UTPD are given leeway in their decision making, though there still remain certain circumstances where they must report back to the department.
“Generally, officers are given a degree of discretion in their daily activities, allowing them to make on-the-spot decisions based on their observations and interactions with the campus community,” Moore said.
Robinson said that discretion afforded him and his fellow officers the ability to interact with the community on a greater level, listening and adapting to their needs.
His words translated to action throughout our patrol as he steadily moved through key areas of campus, always alert to potential situations of danger.
As we drove up Cumberland from the station, Robinson wavered by a bus when his radio said it contained a very sick individual. He said he had provisionary medical training meant to sustain someone until ambulance help can arrive on scene and that he would jump into action if needed.
We later stumbled upon a collision on Alcoa by the side of Thompson-Boling Arena at Food City Center. Someone had been sideswiped by another car, and again, Robinson stayed dutifully by his radio, monitoring the situation in case assistance was needed.
Robinson said he got into the job because he wanted to make a difference in people’s lives. He recognizes how much a position of power can influence the lives of students when they’re in a stage of life filled with uncertainty and change.
“I like to think of this job as building bridges with people,” Robinson said. “You can reach people where they are and turn their whole situation around.”
Robinson is part of the UTPD’s community outreach division, which is focused on connecting the student body with officers. By working with organizations like the Center for Health Education and Wellness, tabling at events and corresponding with services like the 974-HELP hotline. The UTPD continues to strengthen their ties with students.
Moore said that the community outreach division is one of many that work together to keep the campus in a healthy balance.
“We have officers on patrol 24/7, 365 days a year and currently have 72 sworn officers,” Moore said. “We also have resources in our department to shift manpower to focus on areas should any incident occur or in the event we were to see an uptick in crime.”
Robinson touched on the divisions as we circled back up Cumberland, out by the hospital and through Fort Sanders to return to the station. He said officers frequently transfer positions and move through, and it works smoothly because each department holds similar values and goals.
It’s all about taking things case by case, according to Robinson — you can’t put a blanket over things as a police officer, and keeping that mentality helps him recognize where his help is needed and what he can do.
