The University Police Department is responsible for the wellbeing of more than 2,000 students, employees, and visitors at Florida Poly, 24-hours-a-day, 365 days a year. The department works closely with administrators, students, and employees to create and maintain a safe and secure atmosphere for academic achievement and success.
The department is accredited by the Commission for Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation.
The department is committed to the philosophy of community policing and the belief that all persons are to be treated in a fair and impartial manner. To that end, Department policy strictly prohibits any form of biased policing. It will not be tolerated. Additional information on the department’s policy regarding biased policing and accepting complaints is available here.
The department employs full-time sworn police officers, as well as two security guards and administrative staff. University police officers are state-certified and undergo mandatory annual retraining in a variety of contemporary policing topics to maintain their Florida law enforcement certification. The force is led by Police Chief Richard Holland, Jr.
Officers have jurisdiction and legal authority on all university-owned property, and the department shares jurisdiction with the Lakeland Police Department and the Polk County Sheriff's Office.
Because the University's main campus is within the Lakeland city limits, all 911 emergency calls go to the Lakeland Police Dispatch Center and are transferred to the Florida Poly Police Department.
