People who make UChicago safe: Michael Mitchell
FEBRUARY 16, 2023
Michael Mitchell joined the University of Chicago Police Department in April 2022. He talked to us about how and why he decided to become a police officer and what led to him to UChicago.
Some of the answers have been edited for clarity and length.
What made you interested in joining the University of Chicago Police Department?
I did not grow up thinking I would be a police officer, but I do come from a law enforcement family.
My dad has been in law enforcement for over 20 years, and he currently is the chief of police at a university right now. I just always admired his commitment to his profession and his dedication to positively impacting the community he serves.
When I graduated college, I worked for a corporate firm and did technology consulting for about a year. After a year I really just re-evaluated my professional passions and the thought of becoming a police officer came to the top of my mind, because of that admiration that I had for my dad growing up.
When it comes to the University of Chicago Police Department, I really did my research in terms of finding a department that was aligned with my own values and had great leadership within the department but also had a culture where I could feel supported and part of the team. I’ve found these things with the University of Chicago and now as a police officer here for nine months, I’m very happy to be a part of it.
What part of your job gives you the most pride?
As a police officer I really just love helping people and connecting with community. I take pride in helping people with even the common issues like providing a jump start to a car or providing access to a student or staff member who locked their keys inside of a building. I take pride in helping out with those smaller inconveniences.
At the other end of that spectrum is assisting someone who is a victim of a more serious crime. Regardless of where that situation, or that person, falls on that spectrum, I just love being there to help solve whatever that problem is.
It really just boils down to being there to help someone solve whatever problem they’re facing at the time.
If you could have people know one thing about the work that you do, what would it be?
As a police officer, there’s a kind of misconception that the majority of our job includes making arrests and potentially disrupting a community.
But in reality, I view the purpose of my job as being a part of the community. I personally work to provide a service that is compassionate, ethical and professional. That and a focus on crime prevention by simply having an active presence in the community because I think that’s vital to the health of the community.
A quick story that kind of illustrates my point: A couple of weeks ago there was a group of residents who really enjoy walking their dogs and being out in the community together. They contacted UCPD and asked if an officer could come to their area and have a presence in the area while they walk their dogs. I was dispatched to this call and to that area. I thought it was awesome that I could be there and give the community members the peace of mind that they needed to engage with each other, walk their dogs, get some exercise and do all those things while feeling safe.
I shared this story with one of my friends who is not in law enforcement and they had no idea that was a service the police would provide or do.
I wish more people knew that.
What do you enjoy most about your work with the University of Chicago?
I feel very honored to be an agent of public safety at the University of Chicago. It’s an internationally renowned University located in the iconic neighborhood that is Hyde Park. I’m tasked with keeping safe some of the brightest students from around the world, esteemed faculty and staff and distinguished alum.
That’s not a small task.
I also enjoy being a part of the safety detail at events the University of Chicago is hosting. I was able to attend the mayoral forum on early childhood education that UChicago hosted at the Logan Center. My priority was to keep the peace and ensure the safety of the venue and attendees and political candidates but I also had the unique opportunity to listen to the discussion and walk away with information that hopefully makes me a more cerebral thinker and a better leader as I move forward throughout my career.
As someone who wants to be a leader in whatever community I serve, I walk away from these events with a lot of gratitude.
It’s a very unique opportunity while working at the University of Chicago.
Is there a rivalry between you and your dad over which department is better?
<Laughs> Not a formal rivalry, but he did try and recruit me when I was applying to departments. He really wanted me to work for him, he’s actually at Northern Illinois University.
I grew up in DeKalb, Illinois, I live in Chicago now and I told my dad, “I don’t want to move back to DeKalb! We gotta keep family and work a little separate.”
My dad’s mentorship has been invaluable to me as a new officer and I’m grateful to continue to learn from him as I progress through my law enforcement career.
My last question is the hardest question, what is your favorite TV show?
This is THE hardest question. I am going back and forth in my mind, but at the end of the day I’m going to go with Game of Thrones.
I’m a huge Game of Thrones fan, I love the action, the adventure. Just a beautifully made series in my opinion. The soundtrack was unreal to me. I love the characters—the nobility of some and the different strategy of others. If you haven’t seen the show, or even if you have, I think the show kind of speaks for itself in terms of its greatness.
So, I would say Game of Thrones but it was real hard to narrow that down.
[Edited transcript]