Education on Duty
A retired highway patrol officer reflects back on an era of officers in the classroom
by Autumn Thatcher (MSC '15)
Taking a break in a restaurant after investigating a traffic accident, John “JJ” Jones (’78) was thinking about his future. It was the mid 1970s, and the Vietnam war was coming to an end. JJ was a young veteran working round-the-clock hours as a patrol officer for Utah Highway Patrol. He loved what he did, but salary increases rarely happened; and, of course, there were bills to pay.
In the restaurant’s booth, the conversation with his colleagues Chris Kooring and Richard Fullmer had turned to current affairs.
“Richard asked if we had seen the bulletin that had just been sent out by the Department of Justice,” JJ recalls. “He said, ‘You are both veterans; you could probably go to Westminster on the Justice LEEP and collect your GI Bill.’”
JJ had previously attempted taking a class at the University of Utah, but he had struggled to keep up. The class schedule was not conducive to the demands of a highway patrol officer—and JJ’s superintendent had no interest in creating a more flexible work schedule so that he could earn a degree.
Despite the pressure placed on them by their superintendent, JJ and Chris decided to give Westminster a shot. They drove to campus and met with Dr. Cora Adams from Chicago, Illinois.
“Dr. Adams was the first person we met on campus,” JJ says. “She was a Black American who was going through all the nonsense she went through and came to Utah with all these characters we’ve got in this state. But without hesitation, she would not give up on helping students. She’d always find a solution for each and every one of us. Not just Chris and me, but anybody who had a problem, she would help.”
JJ says Cora was “shocked” by the idea that the highway patrol officers would not be supported by their superintendents to pursue a college education. So she set to work. Cora learned the officers’ schedules and collaborated with Westminster professors to make it possible for them—and later police officers—to earn their degrees while working full time. She was relentless in her commitment to law enforcement, and JJ is forever grateful.
JJ competed his degree in psychology in 1978. He went on to serve as a highway patrol officer for 34 years and had a full career. Throughout his career, he often channeled the skills he learned while attending Westminster.
“The people I met there were so diversified, and all the cops that went there developed a closeness to each other. That combination gave me a positive attitude about going out and serving the public,” JJ says.
During a time he describes as a nation in turmoil—navigating the Vietnam War along with rising crime, drug, and alcohol problems—Westminster provided an atmosphere where people from all walks of life could find comfort and community in each other.
“The Westminster professors and student body always impressed me. They always welcomed law enforcement on campus,” JJ says. “They communicated and socialized with each other—and the diversity was excellent at that college.”
About the Westminster Review
The Westminster Review is Westminster University’s bi-annual alumni magazine that is distributed to alumni and community members. Each issue aims to keep alumni updated on campus current events and highlights the accomplishments of current students, professors, and Westminster alum.
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