MSU Police Department establishes ‘Inclusion and Anti-Bias Unit’

Michigan State University (MSU) established a new branch of its police force on Tuesday tasked with the duty of protecting students from threats of exclusion and bias.

“It’s been a great effort for Michigan State to follow up on students’ concerns, and essentially interests for what they see as MSU becoming more diverse and inclusive campus in the future,” Vice President for Academic Affairs for the Associated Students of MSU Lorenzo Santavicca told WLNS News.

The new “Inclusion and Anti-Bias Unit” was created to promote “harmony between the police and diverse communities” as part of a larger campus diversity and inclusion initiative.

Officers in the unit will be required to attend diversity training sessions in order to learn how to interact with people of all types of backgrounds. The MSU Police Department is not a stranger to diversity, though, since all officers are already expected to complete an inclusion and anti-bias training.

Sergeant Florene McGlothian-Taylor will be leading the unit. the purpose of which, she said, is to eliminate all biased police reports against any type of person.

“It’s not just race,” McGlothian-Taylor said. “It’s height, it’s weight, it’s gender, you know, it’s sex. It’s everything.”

MSU students are reportedly excited with the prospect of having a safe campus.

“Any, like, inclusion with them – with our diverse population – is a good effort by the police,” student Brian Pieciak said.

“I mean I think it’s a really good opportunity for people to get, like, real justice,” another student, Autumn Carson, said.

President Lou Anna Simon said the new unit is a testament to the university’s “commitment to diversity and better understanding the needs of [its] students, faculty and staff.”

Campus Reform reached out to MSU Police Department but did not receive a response in time for publication.

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