During the Chapel program that morning, Huntsville City Councilman President Will Culver introduced the speaker, recently-elected District 1 City Councilman Devyn Keith. The “Blue Notes” of the Huntsville Police Department, a close-harmony gospel singing group of police officers, presented special music. The members of “Blue Notes” have over 70 years of cumulative experience serving and protecting the public in Huntsville.
Presdent Pollard (pictured above with OUPD Chief Melvin Harris) expressed gratitude to the OUPD and Public Safety Staff for their service to the campus community. Additionally, participants in the recent Rape Aggression Defense course received their certificates of completion of t he comprehensive, 12-hour self defense course that teaches the tenets of awareness and the basics of actual hand-to-hand defensive training.
To help those who were preparing to travel home for the Thanksgiving holiday, following Chapel the OUPD, in partnership with Express Oil Change, NAPA Auto Parts and Thompson Hospitality, sponsored the 10th annual “Operation Safe Travel, Safe Return” from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. This event provides vehicle inspections and fluid topoffs, primarily for students who will be traveling during the Thanksgiving holiday. Chief Harris said that “not only is Oakwood concerned with the safety of our students on campus, but off campus as well, especially as they travel over the holiday season.” OUPD officers distributed travel safety brochures and offered a word of prayer with participants.