Full time student by day, part time officer by night

For 17 IU students, they are both full-time students and part-time police officers who live where they work.

As certified officers, one of their priorities is to foot patrol the grounds of residence hall daily.

“We started the live-in program in 2002 and saw a 40 percent decrease in incidents in McNutt Quad that year,” IUPD Lt. Greg Butler said.

These incidents include underage drinking, marijuana use and theft. 

Butler is in charge of the cadet officer program and assigns where officers live.
Senior Kyle Moulden is the live-in officer at Foster Quad.

He graduated the IU Police Academy in 2008.

Originally from Bloomington, he said he hopes for a job in local law enforcement.

Although living at Foster, Moulden only patrols on Friday and Saturday evenings.

During the rest of the week, he is scheduled to work at other residence halls doing similar tasks.

“Our job is to assist residence assistants, but most importantly to be visible by residents and IU students,” Moulden said.

He said his accessibility is an essential part of his job. Although he’s a student, Moulden has the same authority as any police officer. He carries two sets of handcuffs, a baton and a handgun with two extra magazine clips.

“I keep my gun in a locked safe which is bolted to the floor,” Moulden said.

On a typical weekend, Moulden foot patrols the grounds of Foster looking for any suspicious activity, but more importantly, he is constantly visible. Although Foster is his primary focus, he said he may venture to McNutt Quad or even Briscoe Quad.

“It is a lot easier for someone to approach an on-foot uniformed officer rather than one patrolling in cars,” Moulden said.

Though he could, Moulden insists that he does not patrol dormitory hallways, but rather focuses on the grounds outside.

“Usually the only time I am inside the dorms is when I am responding to a call of service or checking in with the RAs at the front desk,” Moulden said.

These calls include a resident not complying with dorm staff or if a resident files a police report.

Moulden recalled an incident where an individual threatened an RA with a knife.
“Although 911 should be called first in an incident like that, I am right here and able to assist in any way I can,” Moulden said.

Some might be hesitant to live several doors down from an IUPD officer, but freshman Andy Johns said he does not mind having Moulden live on his floor.

“He has never bothered us,” Johns said. “We never really see him inside.”

Most of the live-in officers reside where they lived as freshmen and the program is optional. However, all academy graduates must perform residence hall patrolling duties during the week.

During the past decade, IUPD, in collaboration with Residential Programs and Services, gradually spread the program. Currently, every residence hall besides Collins Center has at least one live-in University police officer.

“We try to place officers in dorms they are familiar with,” Butler said.

Moulden has no quota to meet and said his job is not about arresting as many people as he can.

“I’m a student, too. We don’t ticket people because we can,” Moulden said. “Our job is to look out for students’ safety and well-being.”

Moulden added that he has wanted to become an officer ever since he can remember.

“This is something I am proud to be a part of,” Moulden said. “As far as I am concerned, I have the best part-time job a college student can have.”