The University Police Department will be hosting a Public Safety Expo on Saturday, July 31. 

Continuing their goal of bringing information to the community, the UPD intends that the event will not only inform participants but bring the community together. 

“Our overall goal for this event is community engagement. We want our community to be involved and invested in the agencies that serve and protect them. We want the community to be able to have open and honest conversations and to be comfortable enough to engage with these agencies. We especially want the community to have a fun and safe event. This will be an event for all ages,” said Tiffany Chavers-Edwards, the assistant director for business operations for the UPD. 

Collaborating with several other local agencies, such as the Louisiana State Police, the Canadian National Railway, the Louisiana National Guard and the Hammond Fire Department, the event will feature a variety of activities to educate participants. 

The participating agencies will be offering interactive safety stations to simulate different experiences for participants. The stations include an impaired driving simulation, child safety seat inspections, bicycle inspections, child fingerprinting and DNA kits, as well as a flight simulator. 

Guests can also view two helicopters that will be on display. 

Aside from safety presentations, guests can also expect to have some light-hearted interactions with the UPD, as well as support Tangipahoa Parish. 

For $1, guests are allowed two throws at a dunk tank to dunk UPD Chief Michael Beckner and Hammond Police Chief Edwin Bergeron. All funds collected will be donated to the Tangipahoa Parish Crime Stoppers. 

Outside of the festivities, guests can also enjoy the local delicacies brought by four food trucks.

 The UPD began planning the expo in early January as a way of introducing important agencies to the public. 

“The Public Safety Expo was started to bring the community law and safety agencies together to show how we all work to serve the public. Also, to highlight how Southeastern Police play an integral role in our community. We also wanted to highlight our wonderful University to showcase Southeastern,” said Chief Michael Beckner, the director of the UPD. 

Following the Public Safety Expo, the UPD has many more exciting and informative events planned for the fall semester. 

In August, the UPD will be hosting a Rape Aggression Defense class, as well as “Coffee with Cops.” During the first week of classes, the UPD also will be hosting its “Cool-off with Cops” event.

Entry to the Public Safety Expo is free. Guests will be provided with hand sanitizer and a mask to abide by COVID-19 safety regulations. 

The event will be held in the University Center parking lots from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Free parking will be available nearby on North Oak Street. 

For more information, contact the UPD at [email protected] and follow @SoutheasternUPD for more updates on upcoming events.