So you are out with your friends and doing some things you should not be when the University Police roll up. They lecture you, take away your fun, and give you a citation. You are now pissed off and upset that those, "cops were such a**holes." Maybe they were rude, maybe they gave a you harsh citation instead of just walking away, but maybe you are not considering the reality of their job.

The University Police Department is responsible for keeping 33,000 students safe and alive. Trust me, they know when you're walking down greek row drunk, and they know you are probably underage and binge drinking your freshman livers away. But what you don't know is that if they're not giving the hundreds of drunk students citations on a Thursday night it is not because they are being nice. It is because they have more severe things to deal with on campus.

I once spoke to an officer on campus and asked him if drinking was a problem on San Jose State's campus and his response was shocking. Although there are problems that come from drinking, one of major problems threatening the lives of young students is heroine and drug abuse. Students believe that college is a time to experiment with things other than alcohol, and more often than not officers are called upon for drug overdoses. The University Police Departments goal is not to get these students in trouble or behind bars, but instead to make sure they make it to see their college graduations. Being an officer on a college campus is more than dealing with underage drinking, it is taking are of lives that matter, and stressing the importance of safety for the students sake.

When an officer is questioning you on your drunken stumble home because you clearly can not walk straight, the officer knows you may be drunk, but their intention is to make sure you are going to wake up in the morning in the safety of your dorm. When an officer sees you slip a small substance into your mouth on your way to an event at the Event Center, they are not stopping you to get you in trouble, he's making you sure that you are going to make it to the event alive and leave alive.

Countless times I've walked through campus and seen students being questioned or detained by an officer, but countless times I have witnessed officers escorting students to the safety of their dorms. The University Police Department sits outside of CVB all night for the safety of the students. So next time you see an officer around campus, try thanking him for his service and dedication because they're doing a lot more than what you see first hand.