Officials choose major with 33 years in law enforcement
Oklahoma City University officials named a major with 33 years of law enforcement experience as the new police chief.
After months of a national search authorized by President Martha Burger, Maj. Dexter Nelson was named to the position Jan. 27.
Nelson previously worked with the Oklahoma City Police Department in patrol operations, homicide, internal affairs, media relations, gang enforcement, narcotics investigations, Will Rogers World Airport, and the hostage/crisis negotiations unit. He is a graduate of the FBI National Academy.
In an email to the campus community sent Jan. 27, Burger wrote, “Maj. Nelson’s extensive experience in law enforcement and community relations will serve him well as he leads our department forward.”
Nelson will officially begin serving as police chief on March 1.
The police chief position became vacant Sept. 9 after former Police Chief Rusty Pyle resigned. Police Sgt. Mark LaHue filled the position as interim police chief until Bill Citty was hired to be the interim director of campus police.
Citty said he has worked with Nelson in the past in the Oklahoma City Police Department and that he is a strong, honest communicator.
“He’s comfortable and really committed to meeting with those individuals he serves,” he said.
Nelson has the community experience and community engagement, Citty said.
“I think it is a huge advantage having someone who already knows the Oklahoma City community and the area around the campus,” he said.
Nelson said the first thing he will do as chief is find the deficiencies in the department that he can work to improve. He said he hopes to further education and understanding between campus police and students by having regular dialogue with students.
“My goals are to try to get people talking, bring people together, hold forums with the students, talk with the faculty, and get officers to open up,” he said.
Despite having an extensive career in law enforcement, Nelson said he hasn’t allowed himself to become jaded.
“I’ve seen a lot in some of the places I’ve worked in, but I think I’m fortunate enough that I haven’t lost that drive to want to help people,” he said. “I still have gas in the tank. I have a purpose, and I want to do something.”
To foster an inclusive environment in the police department and on campus, Nelson said he will look into incorporating required officer diversity training.
“Training is key to keeping your department ahead of the storm and ahead of problems,” he said.
Destini Carrington, psychology senior and Black Student Association president, said Nelson should organize liaisons in each student organization and department on campus to make sure students’ voices are heard.
“I want him to remember and value transparency,” she said.
Carrington said Nelson should recognize that students are expecting change and improvements.
“I want him to come into this position, yes learning OCU culture and our climate, but not being stagnant in, ‘that is the way that it has to be,’” she said. “I want him to be a change-maker here.”
Anthony Edwards, Dulaney-Browne Library circulation technician, said he is happy Nelson was selected as the university’s first person of color in the position.
“We need more transparency, a more diverse campus police force and a greater emphasis on community policing,” Edwards said.
Nelson should bring a focus to bias training and fair and equitable resolutions to complaints, Edwards said.
“When you file a complaint or raise an issue, it shouldn’t just fall into a black hole,” Edwards said.
Dana Brockway, a representative from the NAACP legal redress committee, said Nelson should continue the work to further diversity and inclusion on campus.
“He needs to make himself visible and accessible to students, minority or non-minority,” she said.
It’s important for students to see people of color in high positions, Edwards said.
“Especially on this campus, where so many students of color feel isolated, that is nothing but a good thing,” he said.
Having a person of color in this position lets other people of color know it’s possible, Nelson said.
“If a little kid never sees someone like them, they might never know that that exists for them,” he said. “I didn’t realize what it meant to be black until I was 11 years old.”
Nelson said when he was a kid he was invited to a birthday party at a country club, but his grandfather had to explain he would not be allowed in because he was not white.
“That was the first time I realized what my skin color meant,” he said.
Nelson said he had experiences being stopped by police officers when he was a teenager because he was black. He’s been working to change those patterns ever since.
“It means a lot for a person of color, a female, someone of a different gender identity, to be seen doing things where someone else was doing that,” he said. “It makes it possible.”
Samaya Rosario, game design and animation freshman and BSA member, said it is a big deal for the university to have their first person of color in this position, but regardless of his race, students will expect Nelson to listen and work with people of all backgrounds.
“It says a lot about this university, and it shows how far we’ve come,” she said. “But with him, it wouldn’t matter if he was black or white, if he’s not going to help his own community.”
BreAuna Shaw, business freshman and BSA member, said Nelson should acknowledge the issues students of color face on campus and address them.
“I just hope that he realizes that just because he is a minority, it’s not going to fix a bunch of things. He’s still going to have to work hard,” she said. “Things are more than just black and white, so I hope that he’s still able to bring something new that will be helpful to OCU.”
Shaw said students want to feel more connected to Nelson.
“One thing that will help is if he shows us that he’s more than an officer,” she said. “I think if he shows that different aspect to him, it would really help bridge that gap and show more of a connection between law enforcement and students.”
Patricia Ashford, political science/philosophy junior and secretary of BSA, said Nelson should focus on the feeling of assured safety that students should have with campus police, so they won’t feel like they should call Oklahoma City police instead.
“One thing he’s really going to have to work on is getting to know the students and getting officers back on campus,” Ashford said. “So, being someone you actually can trust rather than being someone who is just going to give you a ticket.”
Edwards said Citty helped the university and the search committee find the best person for the position, and he appreciates that the university brought in the right people to do it.
“A few of us on the campus who brought issues to light have suffered consequences and retaliation, but when something like this happens, it proves that it was worth it,” Edwards said.
Nelson said being the police chief is the last job he plans to have.
“I plan on being there. I’m not a job hopper,” he said
Citty said OCU is a great university with a great student body that deserves a chief who will stay for the long haul.
“This school deserves quality policing and some stabilization,” he said.
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