EAST LANSING, MI. (WLNS) – The Michigan State University Police Department now has an Inclusion and Anti-Bias Unit.
Officials say it’s meant to create harmony between the police and diverse communities.
MSU Police says its new Inclusion and Anti-Bias Unit is a way of working toward getting rid of prejudice in the community.
And MSU students are happy to see the progress.
“Any, like, inclusion with them – with our diverse population – is a good effort by the police,” said MSU sophomore Brian Pieciak.
“I mean I think it’s a really good opportunity for people to get, like, real justice,” said MSU sophomore Autumn Carson.
Sergeant Florene McGlothian-Taylor is in charge of the new unit. She says the goal is to eliminate biased police reports against all types of people.
“It’s not just race,” Sgt. McGlothian-Taylor said. “It’s height, it’s weight, it’s gender, you know, it’s sex. It’s everything.”
And MSU’s student government is glad to see this change.
“It’s been a great effort for Michigan State to follow up on students’ concerns,” said Lorenzo Santavicca, Vice President for Academic Affairs for the Associated Students of Michigan State University. “And – um – essentially – um interests for what they see as MSU becoming more diverse and inclusive campus in the future.”
The new unit at MSUPD is part of a larger, university-wide effort to improve inclusion on campus.
MSU President Lou Anna K. Simon says it shows “our commitment to diversity and better understanding the needs of our students, faculty and staff.”
Officers are learning how to interact with all different types of people by reading books and attending training sessions.
And these training sessions are also open to students and other members of the community.
“Police can’t do it by themselves,” Sgt. McGlothian-Taylor said. “We all have to work together and this is one way of being a collaborative unit.”
Working together — to make a difference.
MSUPD says all their officers are required to go through inclusion and anti-bias training.
