Southern University has implemented a new policing program on its Louisiana campus in an effort to make the safer and improve the relationship between officers and students, WAFB reported.
The school has a police force of 24 men and women. The new program, "Walk, Talk and Respond," requires five of the University's police force to leave their police cruisers parked and use their feet to get around campus, WAFB reported.
Some officers believe the new way of policing could better the relationship between police officers and students.
"They get to know us and they feel free to come talk to us," Sgt. Tim Johnson of the Southern University Police Department told WAFB.
The recently implemented program has already led to one arrest.
Last week, a man was arrested by the East Baton Rouge Sheriff's Office. He was picked up on the Southern University's campus. According to an arrest report, when officers approached his car they smelled a strong odor. Police say they were told by students he was selling large amounts of marijuana on campus.
Johnson said walking the campus allows police officers to see, smell and hear -- something they can't always do in a moving patrol car.
Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Brandon Dumas told WAFB that because there are more events happening on college campuses, nationally, they wanted to be proactive to crime and add another level of safety around campus.
"There is crime, everybody does not always abide by the rules. We want to make sure when that does happen, we're positioned to respond," Dumas said.
Johnson added that he hopes this program, which makes university police officers more active and visible around the campus, would prompt students to alert them when they hear or see anything suspicious.
"It's helped us to be out in the public, talking to the kids. As opposed to just being there when it's an emergency or something bad happens," he said.
