This afternoon the Fitchburg Activities Board (FAB) took over Highland Ave. in front of the Townhouses to celebrate Halloween the FAB way! Fitchburg State University Police therapy dog Zara got in on the action while not to be outdone, our Nursing Simulation Laboratory  went all out for the holiday.

This morning, on this National Coffee with a Cop Day, the Fitchburg State University community had the chance to meet with Chief Michael Cloutier and members  of the Fitchburg State University Police as they hosted Coffee with a Cop in the Falcon Hub. Fitchburg State University Police therapy dog in-training Zara was there as well. The mission of Coffee with a Cop is to break down the barriers between police officers and the citizens they serve.

Late last week, Chief of University Police Michael Cloutier conducted a Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) training session for faculty and staff. The course, designed and built on the Avoid, Deny, Defend (ADD) strategy developed by Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training (ALERRT) in 2004, provides strategies, guidance, and a proven plan for surviving an active shooter event.

This morning President Hodge, Fitchburg State University Police Chief Michael Cloutier, members of the University Police, Military and Veteran Services Director Nolan Buck, university faculty and staff, local dignitaries, and more joined with Fitchburg Fire Department (FFD) at their North Street Headquarters, adjacent to the university, to commemorate lives lost during the attacks on 9/11/2001. The ceremony was held at the 9/11 memorial outside Fire Department headquarters - a piece of a steel beam from the North Tower of the World Trade Center anchors the memorial.

Fitchburg State University Police Chief Michael Cloutier and Sgt. Timothy Grant gave a training session about the intricacies of de-escalating various situations to our  Office of Student Development Student Orientation Leaders, and Housing and Residential Services Resident Assistants  in preparation for our upcoming Orientation Sessions where we welcome our newest Falcons. 

Chief of University Police Michael Cloutier invited our Residents Assistants, and Housing and Residential Services staff, to tour University Police facilities. Along with lunch and meeting the University Police staff, students and staff got to try out equipment, see what it's like to perform a sobriety test with "drunk" goggles, and so much more!

President Donna Hodge met with the Staff Instructors and Fitchburg State University Police Program Academy Director Ola Wysocki  before giving some words of encouragement to members of the  8th Fitchburg State University Police Program's Recruit Officer Course (ROC) ay Landry Arena this morning at the onset of the program.

On Friday, Lourdes Ramirez, coordinator of field placements, partnerships and recruitment for Fitchburg State’s School of Education welcomed a cohort of local high school students enrolled in The Future Educator Academy program to campus for a day of programming. Students completed a badge focused on topics in education; CPR- Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation with Fitchburg State University Police Sgt. Timothy Grant, Peer Mediation and Conflict Resolution Techniques with School of Education Professor Emily Fournier, Career Planning & my Future Badge with Career Services and Advising Center Director Lindsay Carpenter Connors, Equity and Diversity in a Multicultural Society with School of Education Professor Dr. William Cortez, and Activity Facilitation with School of Education's Lourdes Ramirez.

Yesterday afternoon, Fitchburg State University Police Program Academy Director Ola Wysocki held orientation for incoming first-year and transfer students enrolled in the Fitchburg State University Police Program's Recruit Officer Course in the Falcon Hub. In addition to Director Wysocki, students heard from Lieutenant Richard Nelson of the Fitchburg State University Police, Criminal Justice Professor Dr. David Weiss, and Class Leader Kayla Forbes about the requirements and expectations of the program.

We would be remiss if we let National Law Enforcement Appreciation Day pass without a shout out and big THANK YOU to Chief Michael Cloutier and the rest  of the Fitchburg State University Police staff.