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By Dateline staff

This year’s Calvin E. Handy Leadership Award went to a team in the Police Department for developing the campus's new cadet program for students.

It is called the Volunteers in Public Service (VIPS) Cadet Program, and resulted from the efforts of Chief Matt Carmichael, Sgt. Jennifer Garcia, and officers Raymond Holguin and Timothy Hunter.

The leadership award has been given annually since 2005 when Police Chief Emeritus Calvin E. Handy became the first recipient (and the award's namesake).

“These outstanding officers worked diligently to implement their vision of a cadet program that benefits the entire campus community,” Handy said in presenting the award during Soaring to New Heights, April 9.

In offering the cadet program, the department can bolster campus safety, improve the department’s relationship with the student community and meet the needs of students who are interested in law enforcement careers.

The cadet program, limited to graduating seniors, began in January with a class of 21 men and women. They are participating in a “mini” police academy, including law enforcement education, physical fitness training and ride-alongs with regular officers.

The program incorporates a “service-learning” model related to the public servant aspect of police work, and enlists the Cross Cultural Center and the Diversity Education Program to help cadets learn about and understand the diverse groups that make up the campus community.  

As May 14 graduation approaches, the cadets are vying to be one of the top three cadets in the class — each of whom will receive a sponsorship to a real police academy. Then, the �ٺ���Ƶ cadet who does the best in the academy will receive priority consideration to be an officer in the campus Police Department.

Carmichael, when he was a lieutenant, received the Calvin E. Handy Leadership Award as an individual in 2009 for his work in developing and presenting the campus’s active shooter training — to prepare students, staff and faculty for dealing with shooting incidents.