Aside from experience and knowledge which chief of police Mike Trevis, who began his service at EC on July 1, 2008, is also a student himself.
“I know what students go through,” Trevis said. “I have to find parking spots 30 minutes and wait in long cashier lines as well.”
Trevis attends La Verne University on the weekends as he is working on getting a doctorate in public administration.
“I know what all of that feels like,” Trevis said. “So when I try to solve student problems, I also think like a student to solve the matter properly.”
With 35 years of experience, Trevis wants to bring many things to EC and among them, is collaboration between students and faculty to fix issues on campus.
Trevis wants more communication between the police department and faculty, especially students.
“The thing that I would like to improve upon is to better the communication between us (police department) and students, also faculty,” Trevis said. “There was this gap where people are either afraid of us or just didn’t want to talk to us. I want to eliminate that barrier.”
Trevis has also reinforced cadets and officers to be more visible on campus.
“We will have more cadets and officers including myself on campus to make sure everything is OK. Don’t be hesitant to talk to us,” Trevis said.
With safety on campus consistently one of the main concerns at EC, Trevis would like to keep the problems and issues fresh on people’s minds.
“Safety has always been a concern, not just in EC but everywhere,” Trevis said. “What I would like to happen is for people to always discuss concerns or issues that they may have on campus with either us or amongst each other so that it will be fresh on people’s minds so they will always be aware.”
Political science major Edgar Ruiz has noticed Trevis’ plan of having more cadets and officers on campus. He is very pleased with cadets, because he thinks they are helpful.
“I see more cadets than last semester,” Ruiz said. “Last semester, I barely saw them and that was only at the beginning of the semester to give out parking permits. After that, they disappeared.”
Engineering major Tyler King said he appreciates more police officers from other departments driving by the college.
“When I go by Manhattan Beach Boulevard to park, I always see Torrance police driving by to be on the lookout,” King, 19, said. “It is cool because you know they are trying to protect not only their cities but EC as well.”
Trevis and the police department might receive an assist from other police agencies but he also acknowledged students to take responsibility for their actions.
“It’s not just up to us and the other departments, but students have to be responsible as well,” Trevis said. “It takes a team effort for safety to be resolved and everyone needs to work together.”
