U police officer Garth Smith said he decided he wanted to be a police officer when he cracked his skull riding his bike at the age of 5 and witnessed the sensitivity of the police officers who quickly came to his aide.
“Still to this day I can picture their faces and they were just really nice,” Smith said. “I was kind of out of it…they came to visit me in the hospital too.”
Smith, is now a field-training officer, a Rape Aggression Defense class instructor and teaches a police mountain biking course at the U. He received his training from Salt Lake Community College before transferring to the U police department, where he plans on staying for a “long time” because he said the U is perfect for his hobbies and lifestyle.
Heidi Mundy is one of the few U police officers who came from out of state. She went to Nashville University and obtained her associate degree in police administration. Then she worked as a police officer at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee. Afterwards, she transferred to the U campus to be with family.
Mundy, 24, said she prefers college settings because it’s easier to have a personal relationship with others. She said she worries that other students will not respect her because of her young age. On the other hand, her youth can be positive, she said.
“Sometimes it’s easier for students to talk to me because I am their own age,” Mundy said. “Student-wise, I’d probably relate to them better than an officer who has been here for 30 years.” Mundy plans to stay in the department because she enjoys the quieter pace.
Sgt. Kent Curtis said he also likes being a police officer at the U because of the lack of psychological challenges due to fewer cases of rape, domestic disturbances or child abuse. Even when Curtis received offers from other precincts, he prefers to stay at the U.
“My wife likes it that I work here ’cause she perceives that it is not as hazard as some other places, like in the big cities,” Smith said.
Curtis, who has also spent time in the military, intends to retire in five years, after working for the U police department for 32 years.
“I like the academic environment, people are intelligent (and) they challenge you,” Smith said. “(Also), the youth up here, keeps me young.”