Wright State chief of police to launch informal discussion series

The Wright State community can meet with Chief of Police David Finnie, left, and other university police officers during a new discussion series beginning Jan. 17.

Wright State Chief of Police David Finnie will reach out to students, faculty and staff with a new event series called Coffee and Donuts with the Chief. Finnie hopes to encourage student interaction with the Wright State Police Department and strengthen relations with the campus community.

“I had planned for just Coffee with the Chief, but I think Coffee and Donuts has more of a ring to it, gives you more of a smirk,” Finnie said.

Coffee and Donuts with the Chief will begin Wednesday, Jan. 17, from 7 to 9 p.m. in the Pathfinder Lounge in the Student Union. Students, faculty and staff can stop by at any time to share donuts, coffee and informal discussion with Finnie and other police officers, including Nelda Mattison, who will bring her K-9 officer.

“Ultimately, I want students to be aware of their surroundings and how not to be a victim of a crime,” Finnie said. “I want students to feel comfortable being around police officers because we are the community’s police officers.”

Finnie hopes to continue meeting quarterly throughout the year to encourage discussion between students and police officers.

“The majority of the population of the campus is students, so it’s a very informal setting for students to feel comfortable talking with the chief of police,” he said.

Officer Nelda Mattison will bring her K-9 officer, Jenkka, to the Jan. 17 Coffee and Donuts with the Chief event.

One of Finnie’s goals is to create a student security council through Coffee and Donuts with the Chief. The council would meet quarterly throughout the year to discuss challenges students face on campus working with law enforcement in order to prepare students for these challenges and bridge the gap between students and law enforcement.

The council is a way to open up lines of communication between students and police, Finnie said.

He hopes to have approximately a dozen students on the council from a wide variety of campus clubs, organizations and communities to encourage everyone to be involved in creating a safe, well-rounded and respectable institution.

“I think Coffee and Donuts with the Chief will make that first step of dialogue between the police and students,” Finnie said. “Not only can the students learn from the Police Department, but I as the chief want to be able to learn from students.”