Beth Visel, an officer for the U. of I. police department, said she realized she had found the right job while chasing after suspects with a gun during training for her position, a little more than four years ago.
Originally from Champaign, Visel earned an associate’s degree in criminal justice at Parkland College and transferred to Western Illinois University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in psychology and law enforcement.
During her training at the U. of I., there were a couple of subjects who fired a pistol in the air during an argument, and the officers ended up apprehending the suspects.
“Something like that might shake a few people up (and make them) question the job,” Visel said. “It just felt really good to be in the right place at the right time to take action.”
March marked her fourth anniversary with the department, and before that she worked briefly at METCAD, the 911 dispatch center. Working at METCAD is not an easy job, she said, so she has a lot of respect for those who work there.
Visel said her job as a police officer entails upholding laws, respecting everyone, giving each person their due process and preventing and responding to criminal activity and emergencies. However, the U. of I. police department has the additional responsibility of promoting a safe and secure environment where education, research and public service can flourish.
She said when the department sees people, it often is the worst day of their life and that is why they are calling 911. Visel said the officers try to focus on the big picture when handling emergencies.
“They may be cussing at us. They may be screaming. They may be yelling,” Visel said. “But ultimately, that’s not who they are. They are going through an emergency in their life when we get the call.”
She said she loves that her job is full of variety – it’s never the same thing every day. She also gets the chance to meet people from many different cultures.
“I can talk to somebody from China one day, and I can talk to somebody from Bangladesh, and then I can talk to somebody from Africa or New Zealand. I can talk to somebody who grew up right here,” Visel said. “I can talk to them and learn about their culture and what they’re used to.”
She said police enforcement means different things in different cultures. It can be hard to break through the cultural barriers as some people might have a lack of trust or understanding in police because of their past experiences.
“(In) some countries it’s fear and in some countries, it’s safety. We try and encourage people that it’s safety here,” she said.
The hardest part of the job for Visel is seeing people struggle while the resources to help them are lacking. Jail sometimes is not the answer for people who have mental health issues, for example. Depending on the situation, Visel said, sometimes the department’s hands are tied when it comes to helping them. Problems can arise from social problems, as well.
“You hate to put somebody in jail for stealing food if they have no food at home,” she said.
Visel is involved with the community and the U. of I. outside of being an officer. She teaches a Rape Aggression Defense class for women, instructing people in self-defense techniques that start with risk reduction and advance to defense training.
She said the most rewarding feeling she has had as an officer has been working with Special Olympics Illinois. The police department last year raised more than $15,000, with some of the money going to help more than 500 local Champaign County Special Olympics athletes. Visel attended the 2014 Special Olympics Summer Games Illinois, which she really enjoyed.
“Just to see the joy on their faces and the camaraderie. Even if they didn’t win, they were high-fiving, and they were giving hugs,” she said.
Outside of work, Visel is a graduate student in the School of Social Work at the U. of I. She also enjoys horseback riding, hiking and being outdoors. When she wants to cool down and get away from the job, she enjoys going somewhere peaceful and getting in touch with nature.
Visel is one of 10 female officers in the department. She knows women who balance being mothers and being officers: They can have a career, free time and being a woman, which is empowering, she said.
“It’s really encouraging to see that we’re not stuck back in the ’50s and ’60s where being a female meant that you had to let go of all that,” she said.
Visel said her four years with the department has been enjoyable, and she takes pleasure in being able to help others.
“We need to protect people,” Visel said. “We need to do what’s right.”