When Marcus Green applied for the Lander University Police Department's first internship, created for students majoring in criminology, he was able to list some impressive accomplishments. In addition to criminology, he was also majoring in psychology. He had participated in various student FBI programs, attended the Law Enforcement Cadet Academy in Columbia, and undergone FEMA training. He was working for a security services firm, and was serving both as a Lander presidential ambassador and as the student representative for Lander's traffic committee.
Green "aced" the LUPD's student worker interview, according to Awaili Thomas- Quarles, LUPD's administrative specialist and student worker supervisor. After discussing his application with Police Chief Greg Allen, both of them "agreed that Marcus would be a perfect fit for the LUPD," she said.
Green, whose duties with the department include data entry and surveillance, said that he has been interested in a career in police work since he was five.
"Even at an early age, I was intrigued by law enforcement's ability to examine crime patterns, then apply effective strategies in order to protect and serve the community," he said.
Interning with the LUPD has shown him "how vital each person within the office is." He has also "gained a deeper understanding of how important it is to uphold accountability and integrity," he said.
After graduating next spring, he would like to work in the FBI's data analysis unit, or for the investigative unit of the State Law Enforcement Division (SLED), both of which would involve examining crime patterns. His long-term goal is to work in the FBI's behavioral analysis unit, where his background in psychology would pay dividends.
According to Allen, Green has been a valuable addition to his team.
"Marcus has been great during his time with us, and he is doing a fantastic job. We will hate to see him graduate and leave us, but I know that great things await him. I am proud to have Marcus Green as the first official student worker for LUPD," he said.