Unmarked USF Police SUV, photo taken by Garrett B.

It's 5 p.m., you're just getting off work, you pull out onto the roadway, all of the sudden, a car with flashing red and blue lights pulls behind you. Your knees begin shaking, your hands clench the steering wheel, you pull over, and then you wait.

Anytime the police go by our stomachs drop, and we instinctively glance down at our speedometers. Once they pass, we stalk them in our rear-view mirrors. Is this okay? Shouldn't we feel safe when we see these patrol cars on the road? How do police themselves feel about being feared?

WHERE DOES THIS FEAR COME FROM?

Scrolling through the USF community Facebook pages, many individuals share their stories about their interactions with the University of South Florida Police Department. These stories mainly voice concerns for safety and sort of "warn" the public of the police officers here on campus. Let us go ahead and set the record straight.

An individual last week wrote a story of concern about a USF police officer following her on multiple occasions.

Yes, yes, I know that there have been individuals killed or injured by police who were "unarmed" or who were just reaching for their license. But should one officer's actions speak for those of the entire police community throughout the United States?

The answer? NO

Our differing opinions shouldn't be based off what we may have heard in the news or what someone has told us. The men and women in uniform are just like those not in uniform. A majority of us see police officers as burdens on our day to day lives. The police keep our communities together and give justice to those who deserve it. They do not create laws, they just enforce them to maintain order and to keep us safe.

Interview with Sergeant Aristizabal, USFPD

Sergeant Aristizabal, University of South Florida Police, Photo taken by Garrett B.

GB: "I understand that some citizens within a community have bad tastes and opinions towards police, how do you overcome that when dealing with an individual who isn't happy to be dealing with you?

Sgt: "Well, the community we work in is extremely closely knit and they really enjoy our presence and want us here. But, for the times when we come across an individual who isn't happy that we have shown up, I go back to the fact that the community I work and live in is a great community and I think of why I signed up to do what I do, to keep our community safe."

GB: "And what are your duties as a Sergeant here on campus?"

Sgt: "I am the supervisor over the Special Deployment division. This includes our bicycle officers, integrate with our community through different outreach programs, we also even have a plain clothes division ."

GB: "What is the most challenging part about your job?"

Sgt: "How quick things can change in any given shift. Going 110 mph all the way down to 15mph in a matter of a couple of seconds. We could be at a call for someone not breathing and then all of the sudden we are called to deal with a minor traffic violation."

Photo taken by Garrett B.

GB: "Okay, be honest with me, Are you afraid of anything?"

Sgt: "Well I can't say I am not afraid of anything, no one can. There are certain calls that get the adrenaline going and get my level of fear up. Our training helps us get accustomed to a wide variety and the vast majority of high-stress call types we may be exposed to from day to day. Constant training really keeps my fear in check and I do rely on that heavily.

GB: "How does the USF police communicate with neighboring agencies like Hillsborough County, or the Tampa Police Department.

Sgt: "We have the ability to communicate through different radio frequencies that we can switch to in order to talk to the agencies we may need to get in contact with or relay information to during collaborative Law Enforcement efforts.

GB: "Why do you like working for University of South Florida?"

Sgt: "I sponsored myself through the police academy because I didn't want to be tied down to a certain agency when I got out. Once I got out I had a good idea where I wanted to be and I got a job at the USFPD and I just absolutely love the close knitted-ness of the college community. Like I said earlier the people in this community really appreciate what we do here and they really enjoy our presence here.

GB: "Alright, I have to ask, if you pulled your mom over, would you give her a ticket?"

Sgt: "Ethically when I signed up for the job I signed up to treat everyone fairly, whether they would be friends, spouses, or even co-workers. So, if I pulled my mother over then yes I would have to give her a ticket."

Well...

In my experience, yes I have received a ticket for speeding but I did break the law. The man who gave me a ticket was simply just doing his job, it didn't matter how nice I was to him or what excuse I gave him. He had an agenda to tend to and a highway to keep safe. I did not, and never will view an officer as the enemy because I was caught doing the wrong thing.

At the end of the day, believe it or not, cops are human too. The University of South Florida police are a fine group of men and women with one goal in mind, to keep this campus a safe place to live, learn, and work. So the next time you get pulled over, remember, they're just doing their job and think about what lies Beyond the Badge.