Purdue Police officer promoted from sergeant to lieutenant

By Luis Jiménez
Summer Reporter

Since his arrival to the Purdue Police Department, former sergeant turned lieutenant, Tim Potts has escalated through the department's ranks rapidly, reaching the position of support services lieutenant when he was promoted June 4.

"It is an honor receiving this promotion," he said. "I am glad of the opportunity to have this new position."

Potts arrived to the Purdue Police Department in 1997 after holding various positions at the West Lafayette Police Department and White County's Sheriff's Office. He was a patrolman and a community-policing officer from 1997 to 2000, the year in which he was promoted to sergeant of training and operations.

Reflecting his strong interest in volunteer work, Potts possesses a plethora of special skills and positions he has held at various organizations.

He has been involved especially in the area of sexual assault prevention by being a member of the Sexual Assault Prevention Coalition and by being a rape aggression defense instructor.

Potts also possesses training from the SWAT Team School and underwater rescue. He was an Underwater Rescue Team member for the West Lafayette Police Department.

Some of Potts' new tasks as support services lieutenant include the maintenance of the department's inventory of supplies and major equipment, the revision and final approval of case reports, the disclosure of the department's statistics to the FBI and liaison between the prosecutor's office, coroner's office and local police agencies.

However, his position entails many new tasks, he said he doesn't feel overwhelmed as he has had experience in handling multiple tasks at once from his previous positions.

Although his new position will require him to spend more time behind a desk and stop doing some of the things he enjoyed in his previous position, Potts said he hopes to still be able to patrol "a little bit."

"I am really going to miss working with the training of the officers," he said. "I also miss the aspect of traffic control; the challenge of getting people home safely."

Asked about his long-term goals at the department, he said he thinks his goals aren't any different from any other law enforcement officers' goals — to better and improve himself while at the same time helping the department.

Among his personal goals, Potts said his priority is finishing his master's degree in sociology, but he does not discard applying for a promotion again in case the chance appears in the future.

Group sues Purdue over controversial play

Board of Trustees to discuss new buildings, campus renovations

Fellowship designed for minority graduate students

Student remembers best friend's humor, spontaneity

Rootworms could prove costly to corn, soybean farmers

Motorcycle enthusiast becomes civil engineering head

Purdue Police hires two new officers

Purdue Police officer promoted from sergeant to lieutenant

CAMPUS DESK PHONE:
(765) 743-1111 ext. 253

To send a letter to the editor, please email opinions@purdueexponent.org