New Police Chief Well Prepared for Challenges Ahead

New Police Chief Well Prepared for Challenges Ahead

BY DANA DURBIN
Rice News Staff
September 23, 1999

When Bill Taylor visited campus recently, he attempted to break into several of the university’s secured buildings. He didn’t get into any trouble, though. In fact, he was hired as the new chief of the Rice University Police Department.

Before his interview with the search committee, Taylor also met with the chief of the West University police, visited the Houston Police Department southwest substation, toured the local community, walked around campus and jogged the perimeter trail.

“I found that I had a very comfortable feeling walking around campus,” Taylor said.

His campus and community tour as well as his interview with the search committee “were as much for me to decide if I wanted to be here as for Rice to decide if they wanted me here,” he noted.

Now that he’s been in his new position since Aug. 23, Taylor, who comes to Rice from Washington University in St. Louis, is sure that he made the right decision.

“It’s really kind of exciting to be here. There’s a lot of stuff to be done; there are a lot of challenges. I don’t feel like I’ve walked into a place where I can just put up my feet and sit back,” he said.

One of the challenges he faces is dealing with security issues as they relate to campus construction. Taylor spent a lot of time during his first month on campus meeting with campus administrators and contractors about the building plans.

“There are eight major building projects that will be starting or finished over the next three to four years,” Taylor said. “I don’t care what size campus you’re talking about, that’s a lot of building, and on a small campus like this, it’s going to have a very significant impact.”

One campus group that will be affected by the building is students, especially since current construction projects include two new residential colleges.

As busy as Taylor has been since joining Rice, he has found time to interact with students, meeting with student groups regarding construction and other issues.

“Students are one of the things that’s kept me in this particular line of law enforcement,” he said. “I really enjoy the opportunity to interact with young people who are still learning and are exuberant and talented and aren’t used to hearing ‘no.'”

Taylor met with Student Association (SA) President Anne Countiss and had lunch with the Baker College president and council to discuss finding space for the College Officer Program, which operates much like community policing, but at the residential college level.

Enhancing the College Officer Program is something that Taylor intends to make a priority. He hopes that eventually each college will have its own officer as well as a designated space for the officer. Currently, there are four college officers with Sgt. Les Hulsey serving as their supervisor.

“I think the College Officer Program has had a significant impact for the institution and for the students, particularly,” Taylor said. “I think they really feel strongly that it gives them an opportunity to interact in something other than a negative and reactive fashion.” Taylor’s high regard for students and student issues left a mark on Countiss, for one.

“He impresses me because he has already spent a lot of time getting to know the campus, the Rice community and the surrounding areas. Specifically, he started meeting students almost as soon as he arrived on campus,” the SA president said. “I believe that the Rice police department does a great job of communicating with students and responding to their needs, and Bill Taylor will work to continue that tradition.”

Students aren’t the only group impressed by Taylor. James Copeland, professor of linguistics and head of the search committee for the new police chief, noted Taylor’s preinterview preparations and also pointed to his experience.

“He impressed the committee with the seriousness of his approach,” Copeland said. “His background and most recent experience involve being chief at a university that is very similar in many ways to Rice. He understands the special demands of policing that are posed by a major private university in a setting that is very much like our own.” In addition to the College Officer Program, Taylor has recognized other areas that need to be addressed, including the university’s blue-light emergency phone system, which he said is outdated.