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Liberty University honors law enforcement for National Police Week, continues to train next generation of heroes

May 9-15 marks National Police Week, a time to thank law enforcement who selflessly fight on the front lines of injustice and honor the lives of those lost in service and sacrifice.

One million of these heroes serve across America. From the alleys of Skid Row, to corrections facilities, courts, neighborhoods, and college campuses like Liberty, law enforcement officers are contributing to something greater than themselves.

On Monday, Liberty President Jerry Prevo issued statements of gratitude on behalf of the university to its law enforcement members.

“All of the employees of the Liberty University Police Department deserve our recognition every day, but this week, we honor them publicly for their dedicated service,” he said. “They play such a vital role in campus operations, and we could not carry out our duties without their protection. They are working to keep campus safe around the clock, and we are grateful for all the ways they go above and beyond to care for the Liberty family.”

He also recognized Liberty’s students and alumni who have chosen a career in law enforcement and the many criminal justice faculty who have worn the badge and are now mentors to the next generation.

“Protecting and defending the law is a noble profession, and we are inspired by our Champions for Christ who have committed their lives to serving others by being guardians of peace,” Prevo said. “We want you to know that Liberty supports you, and we pray for your own safety as you courageously serve your own communities.”

Members of the Liberty University Police Department talk to students on campus.

In 1962, President John F. Kennedy signed a proclamation designating May 15 as Peace Officers Memorial Day and the week in which that date falls as Police Week. Tens of thousands of law enforcement officers from around the world converge annually on Washington, D.C. to participate in events honoring those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. According to the National Police Week website, the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund will hold virtual events May 9-15, but in-person events are planned for Oct. 13-17.

Dr. Joel Cox, director of Liberty’s criminal justice program under the Helms School of Government, has participated in the official National Police Week events in Washington, riding his bicycle with a group of police officers from Virginia Beach to D.C. to raise money for the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial. He has ridden to pay tribute to heroes like his friend and former colleague Mike Phillips, who was shot and killed by a drug dealer while conducting an undercover buy-bust narcotics operation in Virginia Beach in 2008.

Each year, Cox uses his friend’s life as a testimony to his students of the honor and respect that the law enforcement profession should receive. Each year, he takes an entire class period to talk about his friend.

“We leave class in silence to honor those who have died defending our communities and this great nation,” he said.

Cox said National Police Week is an important time to reflect on the many brave officers who contribute to a law-abiding society. These officers don’t work in law enforcement to make money, he said; they work to fulfill a higher calling.

“No one is forced into the job of law enforcement. They choose it,” he said. “They choose it, knowing the sacrifice. They choose it because they want to do something beyond themselves, sometimes at any cost. They’re out there defending us every single day, around the clock. They’re exposed to things that we (as citizens) don’t want to be exposed to, and they handle things that we don’t want to handle.”

Dr. Joel Cox

Liberty’s criminal justice program is distinctly different, he said, because students learn how to love even the most hard-hearted individuals that they will encounter on the job and to shine a light in the darkness as a Christian in the workplace.

“(In this job) you will meet people at their lowest low. You’re sitting across from people who’ve done horrible things,” Cox said. “Are they still offered grace? Can they still be saved? If the answer is ‘yes,’ how should you be treating them? … When you’re looking at someone who’s done some horrible stuff, that really challenges you to your core. But, how do you treat them?”

With residential and online programs in crime scene investigation, homeland security, juvenile justice, and more, the School of Government equips its criminal justice students with a broad perspective of the field. Each professor, whether full time or adjunct, has industry experience in various areas.

The school offers online degrees in criminal psychology and fire administration, with master’s degree programs in criminal justice, forensic psychology, homeland security, and public administration. The online program offers first responders a discount on tuition as an appreciation for the significant contributions they make to their communities.

Enrollment for Liberty’s criminal justice programs is trending upward, with over 400 students in the residential program and another 5,600 studying online.

“I think the negative press seems to draw them more to the job to make a difference, which is really cool,” Cox said. “We have agencies who continually recruit from us because they actually see that. We have a significant number of agencies recruiting from us — federal, state, and local — because our students are so driven to the job.”

A criminal justice degree doesn’t automatically translate to traffic stops and chasing bad guys. Liberty’s criminal justice graduates secure careers as crime and homicide detectives, hostage rescue, corrections, and many more.

“(Our students) see themselves going all over the place, not just carrying a badge and a gun,” Cox said. “They see themselves in courts, in corrections, or law enforcement. They see a variety of things to do, which is great. … Each one of those jobs is fulfilling in a different way.”

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