University Police officer Larry White received the Five Percenter award at his graduation from the Terrebonne Parish Sheriff’s Office Regional Training Academy on Dec. 20, 2011.

Craig Jaccuzzo, chief of police at Nicholls, said White is only the second recipient from the Terrebonne Parish Academy to receive this award.

While in training, White suffered a leg injury that did not require surgery but interfered with some of his performance. Despite his injury, he accomplished all of the physical demands required to graduate.

“The Five Percenter Award is a prestigious award given by the academy to an officer who has illustrated confidence, courage and determination while dealing with outside challenges,” Jaccuzzo said. “Out of all law enforcement, supervisors and trainers say there is a true five percent of all police that are unselfish and dedicate themselves to provide services to the public.”

White is the fourth officer from the University to enroll in the Sheriff’s Office Training Academy. Jaccuzzo said the academy takes 18 weeks to complete. Officers learn firearm training, self defense, driving techniques, how to interpret a crime and procedures on how to make an arrest.

“It teaches them everything they need to know to be able to function as a police officer,” Jaccuzzo said.

Going through the academy is mandatory since all officers are required to be certified for them to be commissioned as a police officer. Commissioned officers have the authority to enforce Louisiana laws, make arrests and carry firearms.

Jaccuzzo said White patrols housing around campus because he is knowledgeable from when he was a resident and student assistant at Nicholls.

“He knows the inner workings of the housing area which makes up most of our campus community,” Jaccuzzo said.

With the start of the new semester, Jaccuzzo plans to bring awareness to crime prevention on campus. University Police along with student services will host two crime reporting sessions on Jan. 27 at 3 p.m. in the Bayou Suite of the Student Union and Jan. 30 at 3 p.m. in Peltier Auditorium.

“These sessions will give everyone the elements of a crime, the procedures that need to be taken to report a crime that happens on or off campus and the laws that follow,” Jaccuzzo said.

One way for students to report crime on campus is through the Silent Witness Program.

The Silent Witness Program is a spinoff of a National Program called “If you see something, say something.” Jaccuzzo said other institutions in the state such as McNeese and Southeastern also use the Silent Witness Program.

“It is a way for students to anonymously report crime because some people fear retaliation,” Jaccuzzo said.

He said students mostly use it to report noise from one apartment to another. However, the Silent Witness Program helped police investigate an incident at the end of the fall semester where a faculty vehicle was stolen. Jaccuzzo said University Police were able to make an arrest and file warrants on four other individuals related to the crime with help from the program.

Students can report crime by calling an anonymous line at (985) 448-4480 or submitting a report online at www.nicholls.edu/police.