The IU Police Academy's new director Major Nick Luce will have added responsibilities going forward.
Individual IU campuses previously handled their own investigations into complaints and potential wrongdoings, Tracy James, communications manager for IU Public Safety and Institutional Assurance, said. Now, Luce is responsible for spearheading these investigations himself.
“They’re taking a new focused approach to the job,” she said.
Luce said the IU Police Department gave him this responsibility to take the burden of investigating from divisions busy with their own day-to-day work.
He also said investigations work best when fewer people are involved and will be more impartial when led by someone not attached to the division.
“If these are the men and women you work with, it becomes more personal,” he said. “We want to make sure the investigations stay objective and not too personal.”
James said this new responsibility is part of why the IUPD decided to change the rank of the IU Police Academy director from captain to major, one rank above captain.
Luce said the previous director, Captain Greg Butler, spent 22 years as director creating his legacy and improving the IU Police Academy by expanding diversity, firearms and sexual assault training. James said it is his time to step up and build on Butler’s legacy.
One of these improvements is sending academy instructors back and forth between IU campuses to share resources.
“We have so many great instructors, so why not share them and have them teach a bit in other campuses, as well?” James said.
Luce said the instructors are also excited to offer their skills to different areas and to meet instructors from other campuses.
Luce said he also plans to reach out to IU faculty members about teaching cadets or coming in to talk about their specific areas of expertise.
He said he wants to work with the education and psychology departments to come up with a new crisis intervention and interpersonal communication system. The Kelley School of Business would also be a good resource for offering leadership training to cadets, he said.
“Cops go to cop training, but we have a unique opportunity to go further than that,” Luce said. “Why not take advantage of all the knowledge we have at our fingertips?”
