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by The Vista
UCO Department of Public Service student officers are, from left: Jason Harris, Shirley Lanning, Joseph Fischer and Jeff Morefield. (Staff photo by Katie Hawk) Cubans recommend recognizing Christmas By Juan 0. Tamayo Knight-Ridder s aying that the Cuban Revolution never had "an anti-religious spirit," the island's Communist Party recommended Tuesday that the government give Cubans an annual day off for Christmas for the first time since 1969.
Cubans had started to prepare for the holiday even before the announcement, buying trees and decorations and jamming state shops that had cut prices 30 percent last week in anticipation of the festivities.
Roman Catholic Church officials in Havana and the Vatican hailed the decision by the Communists' top body, the Political Bureau, explained in a communique that took up the entire front page of the party newspaper Granma. "Although Christians in Cuba never stopped celebrating this event, reestablishing the ... holiday is an act that does justice to our basic Christian culture, recognizes the purest religious sentiments of Cubans and reaffirms our traditions," a church statement said in Havana. "The church appreciates ... this gesture and expresses its full confidence that the road for Cuba's opening to the world will result in happiness, unity and hope for the Cuban people," the statement said.
The Vatican's secretary of state, Cardinal Angelo Sodano, expressed "satisfaction" with the decision but pointedly noted that Cuban Catholics "have been waiting years for this gesture."
President Fidel Castro abolished the paid Christmas holiday in 1969, in the middle of a sugar harvest he said required all hands at work.
He had declared his government officially communist and atheist seven years earlier.
Castro decreed Christmas Day a national holiday last year, with most Cubans allowed to miss work, responding to a Vatican request as Pope John Paul II prepared for his historical visit in January :4 By Madhumathi Krishnamurthy StailWriter
Although small in numbers, UCO's student bike officers make their presence felt around campus and perform a necessary function for Department of Public Safety (DPS).
Many people have seen them riding around campus buildings, even stopping to chat with a few students on the way.
However, their role on campus has more to do with public relations than anything else. The student officers represent the DPS and help create a positive public image of the police department.
A lot of the PR work consists of unlocking vehicle doors when the keys are locked inside, jump-starting cars, changing tires, and safely escorting students to their vehicles or dorms during the night.
They also provide security during special events, for visiting dignitaries, and during sporting events. They keep people away from barricades, direct traffic during graduation time, and serve as campus "watchdogs." "The student officers have to be able to handle the public, media, students, faculty and staff in a positive way," said Officer Jeff Morefield. "They also have to be able to foresee safety hazards. They're our other set of eyes and ears on this campus." - Morefield, a 23-year-old senior criminal justice major, has been with the DPS for three years, and is now certified to carry a firearm.
To be eligible for the officer program, students will first have to go through a background check for any criminal record. Students also need to be fulltime with at least 12 hours of classes.
They need to be able to communicate efficiently with superiors and other officers, as well as have good radio communication skills. "I do this job so I can be out and about and meet people. With all the interactions with different people, it develops your social skills," said officer Jason Harris, junior political science major.
Harris, an international student from the United Kingdom, is also the president of the European Student Association, the International Student Council, and Pi Sigma Alpha. "Being in law enforcement teaches you more about the system here and makes you respect police work. It's also something good to put on your résumé," he said.
Through the Field Training Officer program, trainees are allowed to follow officers in the field to get on the job practical experience.
Certified student bike officers do not carry weapons.
They are however, trained to perform various activities while riding a bike and have to complete 32 hours of certified training.
They learn ways of getting to places fast, how to deal with suspects, how to maneuver in confined spaces, and how to chase people over all kinds of terrain on bike. "You have to be able to handle emergencies and make split second decisions," Morefield said. "There are 14,000 people on this campus. For the safety and comfort of those people, a police department is required and nothing less will do." <
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