The renaming of campus police to the Special Constable Service did not bring with it any changes to its operations, says superintendent Michael Akpata.

“We always operated as a special constable service appointed on behalf of the Windsor Police Services Board,” he says. “The label has changed, but not our commitment to providing a safe and secure environment for students, staff and faculty, and visitors to campus.”

Special constables patrol the University’s campuses — main, south, and downtown — on foot, on bicycle, and in vehicles. They exercise the authority of a police officer while on campus, providing faster response to emergencies and calls for service.

The name change from Campus Community Police was necessitated by changes to provincial law designed to better differentiate between public police and special constables.

Akpata has been meeting with student groups to introduce the new branding.

“The key takeaway is letting them know that nothing has changed beyond the name,” he says.

The new title is reflected in updates to the department’s vehicles, uniforms, website, and other publications.