Protecting New York's Future

Peter M. Carey, J.D., is the chief of university police at SUNY Buffalo State, serving and protecting a campus community of more than 12,000 people. But he is taking the time to staff a table at Buffalo State’s student union on Thursday, September 19, from 12:15 p.m. to 1:30 p.m., inviting students to take the civil service test to become a University Police officer.

Why?

“All the university police departments across SUNY are participating in the recruitment drive,” said Carey. “We’re trying to increase our applicant pool, and we want to increase the number of women and minority candidates so that we can become more representative of the communities we serve.”

While Carey is focusing on Buffalo State students this week, the recruitment drive itself is taking place in community churches and neighborhood centers. Both Buffalo State and the University at Buffalo staffed a recruitment booth at the Erie County Fair in August.

Applications to take the civil service exam, which is open to the public, must be submitted or postmarked by October 2, 2013; the exam itself is in November.

“It’s a very good career,” said Carey. “One of the best things about it is that, while we are police officers, we are also part of the education process. We teach students about ways to improve their own safety and the safety of the community in which they live and learn.”

The minimum qualification required to take the test is successful completion of at least 60 credit hours of college-level study; military service may substitute for part of that qualification. “Being willing to work in an educational environment is part of being a successful university police officer,” said Carey.

Perhaps nothing sums the job up better than the recruiting campaign’s slogan: “We protect New York’s future.”