Whether excelling in his role as residence life resource officer within the Virginia Tech Police Department, forging connections with university members, or helping to lead departmental programming, Police Officer of the Year Micah Pasquarell is deeply dedicated to Virginia Tech.

Pasquarell’s hard-working attitude, positive spirit, and ongoing collaboration with campus community members earned him recognition as the 2020 Virginia Tech Police Officer of the Year. He was presented with the award during a virtual ceremony in January.

Launched in 2011 by Virginia Tech Police and Housing and Residence Life, the Residence Life Resource Officer Program seeks to build interactive and educational relationships between Virginia Tech Police officers and students who live in campus residence halls.

At its core, the program strives to foster a culture of trust, support, and communication on campus. A team of three resource officers engages with students and housing leaders, delivers educational programs, conducts residence hall walk-throughs with resident advisors, assists in emergencies, and serves as mentors to students who have gone through the conduct process.

Since joining Virginia Tech Police in 2017, Pasquarell has built a strong rapport with students and employees alike. These bonds have been integral to the continued success of the Residence Life Resource Officer Program. He continues to gain the trust of university members through his empathy, proactive nature, and outstanding listening skills. 

These positive traits have been especially key in Pasquarell’s efforts to support students throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

Since the spring 2020 semester, Pasquarell has made it his mission to seek out students in on-campus housing and help offer them companionship during a difficult – and often lonely – period of time.

He routinely checks in on students, spending time with them in the residence halls, going on walks, and meeting with them for coffee. 

In addition to his extensive residence life resource officer duties, Pasquarell is an engaged contributor in many police department programs. He instructs the R.A.D. for men and women; he is highly involved in university threat assessment efforts; and he is a facilitator for One Love – a program that raises awareness about the warning signs of abuse and activates communities to work to change the statistics about relationship violence. Further, he is a de-escalation tactics instructor and a member of the Virginia Tech Emergency Response team.

“Since I have worked with Micah, I have witnessed his knowledge, empathy, superior work ethic, sense of humor, and enthusiasm — all of which help elevate and extend the reach of many Virginia Tech Police Department teams and programs,” said Caroline Green, threat assessment team coordinator. 

“It is my honor to recognize Officer Micah Pasquarell as the 2020 Officer of the Year for the Virginia Tech Police Department. He performs his duties in a way that acknowledges we are all a team and our contributions are not made to bring attention to ourselves but to benefit those around us. His actions are a testament to the university motto, Ut Prosim,” said Police Chief Mac Babb.

Pasquarell draws upon a decade of law enforcement in serving the campus community. Before joining Virginia Tech, he was an officer with the City of Alexandria Police Department for nearly six-and-a-half years. 

What is Pasquarell’s favorite part of the job?

“Along with working alongside my incredibly dedicated fellow officers, it is engaging with the university members. I didn’t truly understand what it means to be a Hokie until I became a part of our incredible community. Seeing how people relate to and communicate with police officers here has been a really positive experience,” he said.  

“This award is a reflection and celebration of the entire Virginia Tech community and the collaboration that takes place here. It’s a very special place, and I remain grateful to be a part of it.”


Written by Christy Myers 

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