Former Villa Hall Director Tommy Stoffel is embracing the challenges and benefits of his new career as a Portland Police officer
Officer Stoffel, former Hall Director of the dorm Villa Maria, greatly enjoys his new job, but he feels that the University of Portland will always play a big part in his life. (Photo courtesy of Tommy Stoffel)
By Laura Frazier, Staff Writer -- frazier13@up.edu
Life has changed lately for Tommy Stoffel.
Instead of Tommy, he is often called Officer Stoffel. Instead of working with college students, he handles criminals. Instead of sitting comfortably at a restaurant, Stoffel keeps his eye on the door, carrying his gun even when he's off duty.
But the former Villa Maria hall director wouldn't want it any other way.
"I knew I wanted a job that was meaningful and had some sort of community aspect," he said. "That, combined with my desire to drive with lights and sirens, pointed to one thing and one thing only."
That one thing has become being a police officer for the Portland Police Bureau.
However, during high school, Stoffel felt destined for the religious life.
"I felt called to priesthood in high school," he said. "The more time I spent at U of O, the stronger the calling got."
After graduation, he applied for St. Albert's Priory in Oakland, Calif. and became a Dominican seminarian.
Then Stoffel found himself back in Portland, finished at the priory but without a job. Stoffel saw what Ken Hallenius, former classmate in the Dominicans, was doing as the hall director of Tyson and Haggerty Halls. Hallenius connected him with people in UP Residence Life, and helped him apply for the hall director position at Villa Maria. Stoffel's connections paid off.
"I got it, which ended up being an awesome thing in my life," he said.
Fr. Gerry Olinger C.S.C, assistant to UP President Fr. E. William Beauchamp C.S.C., remembers the first time Stoffel spoke at the all-hall speech.
"He was just pumped about it," he said. "He was so excited about that moment."
It's this enthusiasm that guided Stoffel's role to students in Villa.
"No other hall is really like Villa," he said. "I kind of saw myself as everyone's older brother."
Senior Ryan Alice, who worked with Stoffel as an RA last year, saw how Stoffel wanted to mentor students.
"There is so much transition and so much going on in this age," he said. "Tommy recognized that and understood and took it upon himself to work with and talk to every person in the building. He found out who they are and who they want to be and then provided the opportunities."
Stoffel's mission applied to his own life as well.
"Helping them to develop from immaturity to good responsible men, and being a part of that transformation was truly valuable," he said.
According to Alice, Stoffel's versatility is what made him able to connect with so many students.
"There were so many sides to him that he could bring out in you," he said. "He was part of the reason why Villa is so much fun."
As Stacy Noem, the director pf Campus Ministry, said "he was the Villans' villain."
After four and half years in this position, Stoffel felt that he was more called to the married life and his ambition of being a police officer. He started the application process and prepared to leave Villa.
It took Stoffel two years to get on the police bureau staff, due to the extensive process including background checks, interviews and health tests. Stoffel made it all the way through before failing to pass the health standard.
"I lost at the medical point due to my blood pressure being too high," he said. "Probably due to the stress of dealing with rowdy Villains."
But Stoffel didn't give up and was officially instated as a police officer in Feb. 2010. However, he is still on probation.
"It's the thin ice period," he said. "You have to be very open to training and critique, and you have to avoid mistakes more vigilantly."
So far, Stoffel is embracing the difficulties of his position.
"The big challenge is multitasking," he said. "You have to do several things all at once and very well. At times, it can be pretty overwhelming the amount of information you have to process."
One of the best parts of the job for Stoffel is community appreciation.
"I love having people say ‘thank you, officer,'" he said. "Having people thank me after I have cited them for a ticket or arrested them is great. Obviously there are a lot of drunk idiots who won't thank me, but that's fun too."
Stoffel said that he often deals with people who have tough problems.
"A lot of times people with mental health issues will use drugs or alcohol and that's when we get called," he said. "Like a guy is dancing in traffic or running into McDonalds and punching people."
Stoffel wants to portray a positive image of police officers through what he does everyday.
"I want to have people walk away and be surprised about the respect they got from a police officer," he said. "People have a jaded view of Portland Police, and it's a great feeling to change that opinion."
Stoffel knows his communication skills learned at UP helped him.
"To make people feel safe and protected it requires a lot of really good communication skills, like verbal judo," he said.
Fellow Portland Police officer Hayley Shelton also notices how well he works with people.
"He's a smart guy and can communicate with anybody about anything," she said.
Teige Weidner, assistant hall director at Villa, thinks that Stoffel's collected demanor helps him as a cop.
"As a person he's very level. He never overreacts to anything," he said.
Shelton agrees.
"He kind of puts everyone at ease. Everyone just loves being around him," she said. "I definitely think he has found his niche.
It's clear that Stoffel is more than content with his new career, but he will be a Pilot forever.
"I always love having an excuse to come back on campus," he said. "I just love UP and I have such an awesome feeling when I come back. It's actually a rare thing that we got here."
