SIUE PD Promotes First African American Sergeant
The newest sergeant on the Southern Illinois University Edwardsville campus police force is SIUE alumnus Kasey Hoyd. Hoyd was promoted from detective to sergeant of the 45-member SIUE Police Department on Feb. 16. He is the first African American to hold the position on the SIUE campus.
Upon receiving word of the promotion from the role of detective in the investigations division, Hoyd said the news was bittersweet.
“I was honestly lost for words for a few moments. I was beyond thankful to learn I was being promoted,” said Hoyd who holds a bachelor's degree from SIUE in criminal justice, ‘15, and a master's in public administration policy analysis, ‘21. “My promotion to Sergeant means I will be leaving investigations division and returning to the patrol division as a supervisor, supervising a shift of officers.”
“Sgt. Hoyd’s promotion is well-deserved and this accomplishment is a testament to his dedication, hard work, and exemplary service within SIUE PD,” said Dave Goodwin, chief of SIUE PD. “This promotion is not just a recognition of Sgt. Hoyd’s past achievements, but it is also a vote of confidence in his ability to excel in a position of increased responsibility. I am certain that Sgt. Hoyd will continue to rise to the challenges ahead with the same determination and passion that has marked his career thus far.”
Hoyd originally hails from the Chicago suburb Flossmoor, Ill., but said he found a home at SIUE.
“At SIUE I have been able to achieve my goals and advance in my career,” said Hoyd. “I knew after interning I wanted to work for SIUE Police Department. I spent a lot of time at the department, doing ride-alongs, and even spending time with the investigations division. I enjoyed the experience overall and I knew I could see myself working here.”
Kasey Hoyd attended SIUE along with twin brother Kendall Hoyd, an SIUE geography major, ‘15. Kendall Hoyd currently works for the Department of Defense and, like his parents, is very proud of his brother’s accomplishments.
"I recall his passion and enthusiasm for law enforcement, looking back at that time when he was in the criminal justice program. I have had the pleasure of having a front row seat to witness his growth, both personally and professionally,” said Kendall Hoyd. “No one is more passionate about the mission to protect and serve. And seeing my brother be selected to take on a leadership role in law enforcement, I could not be more proud.”
Kendall Hoyd adds, “SIUE PD has also very clearly focused on diversity, equity, and inclusion, with measurable actions. Kasey’s selection as the first Black police sergeant for SIUE PD is the latest action to focus on this initiative. I would like to offer my congratulations to SIUE PD on another measurable milestone to move diversity, equity, and inclusion forward!”
"I’m happy to be the first. That means a lot,” said Kasey Hoyd. “My mom was proud of that as well.”
The Hoyd brothers take pride in continuing a family tradition of achieving success. Their aunt, Tacoma McKnight, MD, was recently honored as the first African American female faculty member at the Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.
“My family has inspired me. It’s like, excellence is expected,” said Kasey Hoyd.
When it comes to breaking ground in ethnic barriers, Hoyd feels SIUE PD is the police department that is well-prepared. “SIUE PD is a diverse department in terms of hiring minorities, women, etc. The previous Chief [Kevin Schmoll] and SIUE PD, as a whole, were intentional about diverse hiring,” said Hoyd. “I was hired with two other officers. My hiring group consisted of a female officer, a Vietnamese officer, and myself. That trend has continued. It's one of the things that makes me the proudest about this department. I think it sets an example.”
In 2018, former SIUE PD Chief Schmoll was honored at the Edwardsville NAACP annual banquet for his minority hiring practices. Schmoll joined the force in 1994 and served in the role of chief beginning in 2013. He is currently the assistant director of the Southern Illinois Law Enforcement Commission (S.I.L.E.C.).
“When I was a Chief, Sgt. Hoyd was a student. So I got to know him, mentored him, and met with him once per month while he was in the process of graduating. He did an internship, tested, and was hired. I’m proud I got to mentor him,” said Schmoll. “He was very determined to get on the SIUE police department. This is where he wants to make his home. That’s something as a Chief you try to find—somebody who will be there a long time. Looks like SIUE PD has found that person.”
“[Chief Schmoll] would have conversations with officers to ask for ideas and get input, actually, on what he could do to better recruit minorities, myself being one of them,” said Hoyd. “He talked to me, and we had candid conversations about strategies that we could use to hire minorities. And so, he was intentional about it.”
Getting involved in the campus community was key to recruitment under Schmoll. Hoyd, who pledged Kappa Alpha Psi while a student, became an on-campus advisor to the fraternity until recently. Schmoll asked if there were mentoring opportunities for the SIUE PD with campus fraternities and sororities. “We could garner interest in law enforcement,” said Hoyd. “The trick is to see how you can essentially break down those barriers and figure out a solution to even further recruit those individuals.”
Community engagement is front and center for Hoyd who also participates in the annual Law Enforcement Torch Run to raise awareness and funds for the Special Olympics.
“I have been interested in being in law enforcement for as long as I can remember,” said Hoyd who cherishes his role in the SIUE PD culture of community-oriented policing. He says his most rewarding cases are those where he has had the ability to offer someone a second chance.
“Essentially when giving someone a break, I've had a couple of encounters that were very meaningful. It just is a reminder that you never know what someone's going through that day or at that particular point in time in their life, but we do as law enforcement have opportunities to help people in those in those situations. And there's been a couple of cases where I've had that opportunity, and those are the ones that that hit home for me.”
For the students he encounters, Hoyd has some advice.
“I would tell any student they can achieve any goal they aspire to,” said Hoyd. “They just have to be willing to work really hard, be willing to take the initiative to do extra, and stay humble through it all. I believe those are some of the things that got me to where I am today.”
PHOTO: SIUE alumnus Sgt. Kasey Hoyd