By Caitlin Clemenson
Photo by Shannon Kintner
For William Pieper, there’s no such thing as a day off.
As the University of Texas Police Department crime prevention specialist, Pieper is an integral part of the department that reliably protects the Forty Acres 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year. Pieper, a 1993 Texas State University alumnus, started his UTPD career just two days after he graduated. His passion to help others helped him determine his calling.
“I have always wanted to solve problems and to help people,” Pieper said. “That coupled with my distaste for injustice led me to the profession.”
As a crime prevention specialist, he is certified to develop and administer safety training for the public. Pieper also provides security surveys of public and private properties, conducts threat assessments and makes recommendations to reduce or eliminate crime risks. Part of his daily routine is preparing reports for Campus Watch, which provides Longhorn student and alumni e-mail subscribers with selected data about recent crimes in the area.
The crime prevention unit typically conducts 240 presentations each year, compared to 30 or 40 at other universities. This year alone, UTPD expects to provide at least 260 presentations along with media interviews regarding crime and safety issues. Pieper’s presentations include “Get Street Smart” — a program that covers everything from personal property protection to self-defense. His “Fatal Vision” program allows participants to wear specially designed “beer goggles” that allow them to experience the physical impairment of alcohol abuse without the severe consequences.
Going above and beyond the call of duty is Pieper’s trademark. Once, he sat with a woman who had a broken ankle while she waited for an ambulance to arrive. A short time later, Pieper received a thank-you letter from her.
“That letter made me realize how even our day-to-day calls are highlights in someone’s eyes,” he said. “That drives me to do well on every call, regardless of the nature.”
From the tragic to the scary to the occasionally humorous, his cases run the gamut.
“Perhaps the weirdest one was the burglary of a motor vehicle case — the item stolen: a half-eaten sandwich,” he said. “I also took a theft report of a slice of three-day old pizza from a common refrigerator in an office. I guess thieves get hungry too.”
With a sense of humor, Pieper strives to help the community any way that he can.
“My favorite ‘thank you’ typically comes from someone I arrested,” he said. “That lets me know the person understood I was doing my job and that I performed professionally and with courtesy.”
No matter what the day brings, Pieper maintains a positive attitude.
“For me, I always enjoy hearing that something I did made a difference,” he said.