Q&A with Carolyn McDermed, interim chief of UOPD

Why did you choose law enforcement as a profession?

I went to college to be a veterinarian. With an associate’s degree in animal health from a Canadian university, I faced a very long wait list to get into one of only two veterinary schools in the country. I moved to San Diego and job opportunities working with large animals were scarce. On a dare, I applied at the San Diego Police Department at a time when they were actively recruiting women into the police force. A month later, I was in the police academy and found that I really enjoyed the work. My specialty was community policing with many years on foot patrol where I got to interact daily with people and help them solve problems. I later returned to college after my children were born and got my bachelor’s degree (summa cum laude) in Criminal Justice.

After 30 years in municipal law enforcement, what brought you to the University of Oregon?

My law enforcement career began in 1983 when I graduated from the police academy and spent eight years at the San Diego Police Department. I moved to Eugene to be close to an aging parent and worked at EPD for 17 years before joining the university in 2008. The UO Department of Public Safety was starting to enhance its services to campus and was seeking a deputy chief. The job posting talked about working with students and individuals with diverse backgrounds, and I was excited by the opportunity to engage directly within an educational setting. Even though campus is in the middle of Eugene, I wasn’t familiar with it, so I had a steep learning curve to become familiar with the teaching and research functions and how so many groups live and work here each day.

As a leader of UOPD, what is the most satisfying aspect of your job on campus?

The police work that we do here is so much more rewarding than in municipal law enforcement from my perspective. We have the opportunity to really see the results of the work we do here. Whether it’s working with a freshman who is just coming in and learning life skills for the first time, or a senior who is graduating, full of knowledge and headed off to a career or another educational path, it’s really exciting to see that. I’ve learned so much from the people I’ve worked with and met on campus. We’ve worked on important issues that are troubling to students, faculty and staff, such as sexual assault education and prevention and prioritize our work on these topics to align with the needs of campus.

What do you like to do in your off-duty free time?

I don’t have a lot of free time because this place is very busy with events nearly every day of the year and my three teenage children keep my free time to a minimum.  When I have a bit of spare time, I race walk with a women’s master group. We recently competed in the Hells Canyon Relay (210.6 miles from Baker City to La Grande through the night with local wildlife encounters) and took first place in the women’s masters division. I also love photography because pictures tell stories and Oregon has endless opportunities to find subjects that I want to photograph.   I also love to read, cook and knit.

What do you wish more students, faculty and staff knew about UOPD’s role in keeping everyone safe?

The campus is generally very safe and people feel that level of comfort, which is great. They don’t know the individuals that our officers interact with regularly while keeping everyone safe. Close to 90 percent of the people UOPD officers contact are not from the campus. Our campus is seen as a land of opportunity for those who have a criminal intent and our officers work hard to maintain safety for themselves and others. 

How can members be more involved in campus safety and UOPD priorities?

I encourage any member of the campus community to join an officer for a ride-along if they’d like to experience first-hand the university from the eyes of an officer, with its large spaces including several off-campus properties, and varying activities throughout the day and night. Ride-alongs give us opportunities to learn from students or others as well. We learn what is important to thCarolyn McDermed, Interim Chief, UOPDem and can talk about the shared responsibility of maintaining campus safety. We get to hear what makes them feel safe, what concerns they have and where we should prioritize our attention.

To arrange a ride-along, contact police@uoregon.edu. For more stories on UOPD, visit the campus policing page of AroundtheO.