On Monday November 17, 2025, Regent University’s Undergraduate Student Leadership Board hosted an event for Regent University Police Department and students to connect in at 77 Coffeehouse in the Dede Robertson Student Center. The Undergraduate Student Leadership Board provided lunch for officers and for students at the event.
At this event, I was able to interview Lieutenant Joshua MacCalla, Deputy Chief Milton Franklin, and dispatcher Abigail Phelps. Each of them shared about their experiences working with police departments, giving insight into their livelihoods.
In speaking with Deputy Chief Franklin, he shared his experience as a police officer prior to working at Regent University. He discussed his work in community policing at other college campuses include Bridgewater College and Virginia Commonwealth University, among others. He discussed his preference for community policing, saying that he enjoys the relationships and connections he makes with people.
According to the Bureau of Justice Assistance, in community policing, “the police and the community must be collaborators in the quest to encourage and preserve peace and prosperity” (Bureau of Justice Assistance, 1994, p. 17). Events like these, where students and officers get to interact is especially important for this concept. Deputy Chief Milton also mentioned the importance of his faith in the course of his job, saying that like Christianity, service is the purpose. Furthermore, he mentioned that punishment alone is not always the answer, but prayer and encouragement for change with individuals can help them learn to make better decisions.
Furthermore, in speaking with Lieutenant McCalla, he shared his experience as a police officer and similarly enjoys his work because of the community aspect. As mentioned, in community policing, officers are around the same people consistently and therefore, can engage with students more directly. He said that he likes being able to see the change in people, in the students, that he deals with. He also emphasized his appreciation for the fact that he gets to work on a Christian campus like Regent University. He called it a “double positive” that he gets to work with students and with them get to strive for the mission God has set for us on campus, “Christian Leadership to Change the World.” He said he enjoys getting to see students work towards that and being able to help them do so.
At the end of the interview with Lt. McCalla and Deputy Chief Franklin, they discussed how they go about handling with mental health calls. They actually said that the majority of the calls they get are mental health related, but do not emphasize it as much for students’ privacy. I shared that I assumed the opposite, but Deputy Chief Franklin said that it is no different than a non-Christian campus in that students do struggle with their mental health at Regent University too. Usually these are calls about individuals who are having difficulty taking care of themselves; as officers, they said they respond for the purpose of ensuring students are taken care of and connect them with Counseling Services to aid students in that process. They partner with Counseling Services and direct students to them as needed. It was clear that the Regent University Police Department cares for their students. As Deputy Chief Milton said, they are “serving with passion” and with purpose toward what God has called them to as officers; also, as Lt. McCalla said, toward the goal of helping to make Christian leaders to change the world.
Additionally, I got to speak with Abigail Phelps, a dispatcher for RUPD and current student in the master’s program at Regent University. She also did her undergraduate degree at Regent University and explained that the dispatcher job has been a great job to have as a post-undergraduate student getting her master’s degree. She expressed her appreciation for Regent University Police Department’s ability to work with her class schedule. As an alumni, she recommends the job to students as a post-undergraduate stepping stone into the workplace. Her job consists of taking emergent calls, gathering information from the caller, and sharing it with the officers on duty. She called herself and the other dispatchers middlemen between the person in need of assistance and the police officers who are going to help them. She also handles the app students can use to reach out for assistance via text or for the virtual walks, as well as managing the social media page for the Regent University Police Department.
Furthermore, Phelps said that the hardest part of her job is knowing she has the safety of students in her hands. She and the other seven dispatchers are the first ones who are contacted in an emergency. On the other hand, though, she said that she enjoys the job because she knows she is “making a difference and keeping people safe.” Overall, she said she has had a great experience working with the Regent University Police Department and emphasized the importance of reaching out for help. She said that it is better to err on the side of caution and call if you are unsure what to do rather than not calling at all. It was again clear that the Regent University Police Department cares for its students’ safety and the safety of the campus. They want to be called to help, so do not be afraid to call if you are in danger or need help. RUPD is here to serve you and keep you safe!
Additionally, Phelps, Deputy Chief Milton, and Lt. McCalla made it clear that Christ is the center of what they do. They mentioned the devotionals they had each shift, getting to start off on the right foot before going out into the community to help students in need. They mentioned their passion for the Regent University mission: Christian leadership to change the world; but also discussed how Christian values are the basis of the department, emphasizing service, long-suffering, and sacrifice. They ensure they integrate, and really base, their work on their faith. It is obvious in their heart for serving and responding for the welfare of others that they are Christ-centered in their work.