Police / Campus Safety

Goliath: Eastern PD's cutest recruit

The Police Department at Eastern Connecticut State University has recently acquired its cutest recruit. Goliath the police dog has excitedly begun his career as a facility dog.

Posted on April 21, 2026 by Elisabeth Craig '26

Officer Theriault earns Special Olympics recognition for Eastern
Law Enforcement Torch Run supports Special Olympics athletes

Eastern’s Police Department has been recognized by Special Olympics Connecticut (SOCT) for raising over $2,500 in support of the Special Olympics. The 2025 Law Enforcement Torch Run (LETR)...

Posted on April 08, 2026 by Elisabeth Craig '26

Local law enforcers carry torch for Special Olympics

Law enforcement officials from Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Public Safety, Connecticut state troopers, and the Willimantic Police Department (WPD) participated in the...

Posted on June 09, 2025 by Elisabeth Craig

Eastern PD honors fallen 'peace officers'

Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Public Safety recognized first responders who have lost their lives in the line of duty in a ceremony on May 15, known as Peace Officers...

Posted on May 21, 2025 by Noel Teter '24

University Police celebrate 25 years of open rec night

Eastern’s police department hosted an all-night event with students on Dec. 1 to build community and foster positive relationships. The annual Open Rec Night drew crowds into the Sports...

Posted on December 06, 2023 by Marcus Grant

Eastern police recognized for commitment to officer wellness

The Eastern Connecticut State University Police Department has won recognition for its commitment to maintaining wellness in its staff members. The Connecticut Police Chiefs Association (CPCA) on...

Posted on October 11, 2023 by Noel Teter

Police carry the torch for Special Olympics

Police officers and other Eastern Connecticut State University community members took part in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run on June 1 to benefit Special Olympics CT. The run began at the...

Posted on June 06, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss

Eastern police win Tier I accreditation from state standards council

The Eastern Connecticut State University police department has earned Tier I state accreditation, the first step in a continuing process to ensure that the department’s policies, procedures...

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss

Education research looks at autistic toddlers’ social turn-taking

A new method for parents of autistic toddlers to encourage their children to take turns in social communications is the focus of an Eastern Connecticut State University research team in the Center...

Posted on April 25, 2023 by Lucinda Weiss

New course partners with law enforcement to lay out 'Pathways to Policing'

A new course at Eastern Connecticut State University that teaches students about the rigors of becoming a police officer recently concluded its pilot semester, giving students perspective as they...

Posted on April 18, 2023 by Noel Teter

Members of Eastern's Department of Public Safety

Officer Nietupski promoted to sergeant

Eastern Connecticut State University’s Department of Public Safety celebrated the promotion of Officer Christine Nietupski on Friday, March 24, who was sworn in as sergeant during a ceremony...

Posted on March 27, 2023 by Molly Boucher

Task force moves ahead on campus mental health needs

A year after a mental health task force formed on the Eastern Connecticut State University campus, the group has a strategic plan for meeting students’ mental health needs identified in a...

Posted on February 13, 2023 by by Lucinda Weiss

Eastern Students enjoying Open Recreation night.

Campus police excited with return of Open Rec Night
Annual late-night recreation event returns after pandemic hiatus

The 25th Warriors Open Rec Night brought 500 students to Geissler gymnasium on Dec. 2, the first Open Rec held since the coronavirus pandemic. It was hosted by COPS, a division of the Campus Police...

Posted on December 07, 2022 by Jack Jones

Eastern enhances campus safety with LiveSafe app

Eastern Connecticut State University is enhancing safety precautions on campus with a mobile phone app known as LiveSafe. Designed to connect community members and their local public safety...

Posted on October 24, 2022 by Molly Boucher

Eastern police swear in Officer Morgan Velez

On Sept. 20, the Campus Police at Eastern Connecticut State University swore in a new officer. Morgan Velez will enter the Connecticut Police Academy’s 376th session on Sept. 22 and is...

Posted on September 22, 2022 by Noel Teter

Eastern Police Chief Tavares honored at ‘100 Men of Color’ gala

Stephen Tavares ’96 of New Hartford, chief of police at Eastern Connecticut State University, was honored at the “100 Men of Color” Black-Tie Gala and Awards on Aug. 12 at the...

Posted on August 23, 2022 by Dwight Bachman

Community policing workshop educates officers on DEI
Unity Wing training involves Eastern and UHart police

The Unity Wing at Eastern Connecticut State University hosted a community policing workshop on Aug. 10–11 for the public safety departments at Eastern and the University of Hartford. Led by...

Posted on August 16, 2022 by Michael Rouleau

Eastern police dedicate Chief Edward Casey memorial

The Department of Public Safety dedicated the Chief Edward Casey memorial to its new location on July 13 at the Eastern police department. Chief Casey was a member of the Windham Special Police...

Posted on July 26, 2022 by Michael Rouleau

Runners carry the torch for Special Olympics

More than 20 students, campus police officers and other members of the campus community ran in this years’ Law Enforcement Torch Run on June 2. Held annually by Eastern Connecticut State...

Posted on June 03, 2022 by Ed Osborn

Eastern remembers fallen police officers

On May 20, Eastern Connecticut State University students, faculty and staff gathered outside Campus Police headquarters to participate in Police Appreciation Day. In 1962, President John F. Kennedy...

Posted on May 23, 2022 by Dwight Bachman

SafeWise deems Willimantic, CT, home of Eastern Connecticut State University, the #21 safest college town in the United States

Willimantic ranked in top 25 safest college towns in America
SafeWise ranking is highest in Connecticut

Willimantic, CT, home of Eastern Connecticut State University, is ranked the #21 safest college town in the United States by SafeWise.com. In a report issued on Nov. 9, SafeWise evaluated colleges...

Posted on November 19, 2021 by Ed Osborn

Stephen Tavares sworn in as Eastern’s police chief

Stephen Tavares ’96 was sworn in as Eastern Connecticut State University’s chief of police and director of public safety on Aug. 27. The swearing-in ceremony took place in the Betty R....

Posted on September 01, 2021 by Michael Rouleau

Tip-A-Cop Raises $1,650 for Special Olympics

The Eastern Connecticut State University police department joined the Willimantic and Middletown police departments for the sixth annual Tip-A-Cop on July 25 at Amici Italian Grill in Middletown....

Posted on August 07, 2019 by Vania Galicia

Citizen’s Police Academy Exposes Eastern to World of Policing

Eastern Connecticut State University students and staff recently expanded their law enforcement knowledge through an extensive program offered by the Willimantic Police Department (WPD). Eight...

Posted on December 13, 2018 by Jordan Corey

Eastern’s Police Department Named Among Top 25 in Nation

The Department of Public Safety at Eastern Connecticut State University has been named one of the top 25 college and university police departments in the United States for its efforts to improve...

Posted on November 08, 2018 by Ed Osborn

New Program Forges Pathway from Police Academy to Eastern

New this fall semester, graduates of the Connecticut Police Academy may now enroll at Eastern Connecticut State University with 12 credits applied toward a criminology degree or other major....

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Jordan Corey

Eastern Police on Community Relations

The contentious discussion of police brutality that has dominated American conversation in recent years has not been overlooked by the police department at Eastern Connecticut State University.

Posted on October 12, 2017 by Jordan Corey