As summer draws to a close, the CMU campus is coming alive once again with new students arriving for the first time and returning Mavericks bringing exuberant joy from their summer adventures. For parents and loved ones, this season is filled with excitement too, but it also comes with a natural focus on student safety.
At Colorado Mesa University, that peace of mind is supported by an outstanding Campus Safety team. Their commitment goes beyond protecting students’ physical well-being; they are equally dedicated to fostering mental and emotional health, creating a secure and supportive environment for every Maverick.
Director of Campus Safety and Security, Alex Zappe, supports a team of Grand Junction Police Department (GJPD) officers, who are stationed on campus. Zappe’s main role in the partnership is to make sure that the police department has what they need to be successful and to provide resources that foster the partnership. The team lead by Sergeant Jeff Davis, is accompanied by five officers — of whom are CMU alumni and others who serve the Mavily with over 60 combined years of law enforcement experience.
“Safety is a broad term that encompasses not only being free from threatening surroundings, but also just creating an environment that we feel safe in,” said Zappe. “Safety is the overall environment of where we feel comfortable enough to be ourselves.”
Zappe joined CMU in January after a previous 20 years with the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). Now he uses the skills and knowledge acquired in the field and applies them to maintaining CMU as a safe and secure place, for both students and community members to enjoy.
“I had the opportunity to close my FBI chapter on a good note and leave that to go do something different. This is an opportunity to serve people, in a new environment that is totally different than federal law enforcement, but using all my experience and the tools and skills that I obtained and putting them into action here at CMU,” said Zappe.
It’s not lost on Zappe that he couldn’t do his job well without a whole team behind him, especially the GJPD. Because CMU and CMU Tech are located in the heart of Grand Junction, the police department has jurisdiction over campus. However, the partnership takes that one step further — by providing dedicated officers to support both the CMU and CMU Tech campuses specifically.
Sergeant Davis heads the team of dedicated officers and wants students to remember a few pieces of advice this school year.
“You are a part of the CMU family and knowing that, take care of not only yourself, but fellow students,” said Sgt. Davis. “We are so grateful to be fully embraced by the students, faculty and staff. Remember, we are here to make sure that you have a successful college experience.”
If students, faculty, or staff would like to get to know CMU’s campus-stationed police officers, be sure to attend Coffee with a Cop every first Wednesday of the month from 8:30 to 10:30 am or visit the campus safety office located on 1060 Orchard Avenue next to the Student Wellness Center. Remember that this team is here to help and support you through this school year and beyond!