By Jake Crouse
Dwayne Harris ’86 has seen a lot of changes since he began working in Wofford’s Office of Campus Safety in 2000. They include physical differences, such as the office’s move to the Mungo Student Center from Andrews Field House and the increase in staff to match the increase in student enrollment over the past 26 years.
But the biggest change Harris has seen — and helped to usher in as director of campus safety — has been the community-focused approach to policing, which he believes is building a culture of trust between officers and students.
“When I first arrived on staff, the major emphasis was the physical aspect of the job. Are the buildings locked? Is the auditorium secured for an event? It was kind of like we were being seen but not heard,” says Harris. “Over the years, we’ve tried to take a more proactive approach to things.”
Campus Safety officers now attend meetings with student groups, including Campus Union and resident assistants. At least once a semester, they host an event that allows students to put names to faces in uniform. Campus Safety has sponsored safety tabling events with snacks and personal-safety educational programs. Officers shared expert advice about car maintenance with students in December before their drives home for winter break. Students even got to practice checking the air pressure on a patrol car's tires.
According to Harris, officers also strengthen ties by connecting in small, daily ways with students, faculty and staff. When you come across Harris patrolling campus or heading to a meeting, he’s often on his electric scooter, which he says allows him to hop off and chat with people more easily than riding around in a car.
“That’s really the premise behind community policing: You want to establish relationships with your community, and those relationships lead to mutual respect,” Harris says. “A big part of the job is building relationships, so things go well if there are issues.”
Harris says the team of officers in Campus Safety is talented, with a variety of specialties. Identifying and making the most of those specialties has increased efficiency and effectiveness. For example, a retired firefighter on the dispatch team manages fire safety protocols, a former patrolman with years of experience plans day-to-day operations and training, and a military veteran, whom Harris calls “a master of emergency preparedness” supports the college’s efforts to be prepared, proactive and responsive.
“We’re seeing greater collaboration and better results now that these individuals have taken on leadership roles,” says Harris. “All of these officers contributed greatly to planning prior to and maintaining student safety during the recent winter storms. We’ve had a lot of wins over the fall semester, and it’s largely because of the dedication of our officers.”
Earning community trust means the team in Campus Safety has lots of opportunities to make a difference. At the start of winter break, a student had a flight out of GSP, but his rideshare driver never showed up. He called Campus Safety, and they arranged transportation to the airport, so he didn’t miss his flight. Another student was involved in a fender bender in downtown Spartanburg; his first call was to Campus Safety, and they helped him manage the situation. Another student was out late, alone, and didn’t feel safe walking back to his apartment. Without the means to pay for an Uber at the time, he reached out to Campus Safety, and two officers drove him home.
According to Harris, above and beyond is the expectation.
“It makes me feel good that students trust us in these tough situations. It tells me we’re doing things the right way,” says Harris. “All of our officers realize that every student here is somebody’s child. I know they’re adults, but speaking as someone who’s had two kids graduate from Wofford, it feels good to know that Campus Safety cares about the students.”
CAMPUS SAFETY MISSION STATEMENT
The mission of the Wofford College Office of Campus Safety is to provide and maintain a safe and peaceful environment where the missions of learning, teaching and academic achievement can be accomplished. The office is committed to providing high-quality law enforcement services that are responsive to the diverse needs of students, faculty, staff and visitors. The Office of Campus Safety upholds and enforces campus regulations and applicable federal, state and local laws. Officers are trained and certified through the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division. Officers are on duty 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year.
KRIS ATKINS
SERGEANT
BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE
My law enforcement background began when I was a South Carolina state trooper. While I was with the South Carolina Highway Patrol, my primary focus was traffic law enforcement, DUI detection and collision investigation, with extensive training as a multidisciplinary accident investigation team associate and a member of the advanced civil emergency response team. I have held multiple supervisory and leadership roles in previous positions. I joined Wofford Campus Safety in 2022.
DUTIES AT WOFFORD
My role as sergeant with Wofford Campus Safety involves overseeing and maintaining compliance with SLED regulations and reporting. I organize and coordinate officer training that includes classroom instruction, hands-on practical exercises, role-playing scenarios, active shooter training and routine firearms proficiency. I oversee patrol operations to maintain a safe and secure campus environment, ensuring compliance with policies and procedures.
OUTSIDE OF WORK
I enjoy spending time with my family, fishing, working outdoors, operating my tractor and being a beekeeper.
WHY WOFFORD
I appreciate the strong camaraderie among coworkers, the professional freedom to perform my role effectively and the unique environment the institution creates. I have had the opportunity to meet with individuals from a wide range of interesting backgrounds and cultures.
STEPHEN HANEY
CORPORAL
BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE
I grew up in a "blue" family, and I was surrounded by an extended family who also worked in law enforcement. My father was my main influence. Looking up to him and always wanting to follow in his footsteps, I decided to go into the field of law enforcement. I served as a correctional officer for 10 years. I started off at the age of 20 as a cadet and eventually climbed the ranks; I ended my time there with the rank of sergeant. I have been trained in multiple aspects in this field, including firearms, report documentation, manual restraints, defensive driving, intermediate weapons and supervisory and communications skills. I joined the Wofford team in 2022.
DUTIES AT WOFFORD
I am a shift supervisor and work alongside two other officers as well as a dispatcher. I am responsible for the safety, security and well-being of students, faculty, staff, other officers and anyone who may come through our campus. I am also responsible for the enforcement of state laws, city ordinances, college policies, routine patrols on and off campus properties, documentation of criminal and non-criminal reports, answering calls for service and maintaining an open line of communication between all those I interact with during my shift.
OUTSIDE OF WORK
I enjoy spending time with family, friends and church family. I am a firearms enthusiast and enjoy spending time target shooting, training or working on firearms. I love to go hunting, whether it be for whitetail deer, squirrel, rabbit or turkey. I also enjoy freshwater and surf fishing.
WHY WOFFORD
I like working with the team. This department feels like an extension of my family. I also love serving and helping others. When we respond to a call, it could be one of the worst times in a person’s life. We are then able to step in and let that person know that we are right there alongside them. Our hope in this interaction is to make a positive impact on this person during their time of need. I also value showing people who may be wary of those that wear a badge that those in law enforcement or security are people, too, just like them. We as officers just simply have the desire to protect and serve.
ANDREA OGLETREE
OFFICER AND LAW ENFORCEMENT VICTIM’S ADVOCATE
BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE
I served in the U.S. Army as a field medic, where I developed strong skills in emergency response, teamwork and decision-making under pressure. Following my military service, I continued working in public safety. I came to Wofford in 2021.
DUTIES AT WOFFORD
My responsibilities include conducting campus patrols, responding to emergency and non-emergency situations, completing incident reports, supporting access control and assisting students, faculty, staff and visitors with safety-related concerns. In my role as a law enforcement victim’s advocate, I provide support, resources and advocacy for individuals affected by incidents, helping ensure they receive appropriate assistance while maintaining confidentiality and professionalism. I collaborate with campus partners during events and safety initiatives to help maintain a safe and secure campus environment.
OUTSIDE OF WORK
I value spending time with my family and maintaining an active, healthy lifestyle. I also enjoy personal wellness activities, organizing projects and pursuing opportunities for continued growth and learning.
WHY WOFFORD
The sense of community is the most rewarding part of working at Wofford. I appreciate being part of an institution where individuals support one another and where my role allows me to contribute meaningfully to the safety and well-being of the campus community.
MIKE ROPER
SERGEANT
BACKGROUND AND EXPERTISE
I began my career with the Spartanburg City Police in 1990, spending eight years as a law enforcement officer before transitioning to the Spartanburg Fire Department. In both the police and fire departments, I was a training instructor in several different fields, including medical response and rescue operations. I retired from the city as a lieutenant in the fire department in 2015 after pushing my luck for more than 25 years. I came to Wofford shortly after retiring in 2015.
DUTIES AT WOFFORD
I’m responsible for managing the Campus Safety communications center. We handle emergency calls and requests for service to Campus Safety from the 4911 emergency lines and other Campus Safety lines. We monitor more than 300 cameras over the entire campus to be proactive and maintain a safe environment for everyone. We also work with local and national law enforcement agencies, emergency preparedness agencies and fire departments to make sure we are prepared for anything that might affect our campus and anyone on it. We use analytics, technology and planning to try to stay ahead of potential problems.
OUTSIDE OF WORK
I’m a writer with five published works of fiction to my credit. I like to work out with mixed martial arts training. I also like to travel a lot, with a particular fascination with the southwestern United States.
WHY WOFFORD
I enjoy meeting all the interesting people who come to Wofford, some as students, faculty, staff or just visitors. We have some truly unique people here at Wofford if you take the time to get to know them.