Taiwanese Cadets Learning Policing, Public Safety at UHD
University Hosting 15th Annual Exchange with Central Police University
By Mike Emery
January marks the start of a new semester for university students across the nation. At the University of Houston-Downtown, the beginning of a new year also is a time for an international exchange with cadets from Taiwan’s Central Police University (CPU).
UHD’s College of Public Service hosts CPU students at the onset of each spring session. These aspiring law enforcement officers learn American policing from local and federal law enforcement and public safety agencies. They also attend UHD Criminal Justice courses and receive training from the University’s Criminal Justice Training Center (which prepares Houston-area cadets for careers as officers).
The 2020 cohort of Taiwanese cadets (42 total) arrived at UHD last week and will be in Houston through Jan. 24. This is the 15th year UHD has hosted CPU cadets.
The annual visit from CPU dignitaries and cadets is made possible by UHD’s Bayou Connection directed by Dr. Hsiao Ming Wang, professor of Criminal Justice.
“UHD’s proximity to institutions such as the Harris County Jail and its partnerships with law enforcement agencies make it a perfect host for these students,” said Wang, who serves as director of Bayou Connection. “This partnership with Central Police University is one of UHD’s largest global projects and continues to make an impact on students seeking to broaden their understanding of both the English language and policing techniques.”
Wang and Bayou Connection’s assistant director Dr. Judith Harris will escort the 2020 cohort of students to Harris County Jail on Jan. 14; Houston Fire Department and the Texas Department of Public Safety on Jan. 16; and the Houston Police Department (to learn about the mounted patrol and K-9 units) and U.S. Coast Guard on Jan. 21.
To date, Wang and Harris have welcomed 350 CPU students to Houston through Bayou Connection. They both also transfer their knowledge of international law enforcement overseas to CPU classrooms in Taiwan and other organizations such as Jiangsu Police Institute in Nanjing, China. In 2018, Wang was joined by UHD President, Dr. Juan Sánchez Muñoz and other UHD delegates on a trip to Taiwan to visit law enforcement and higher education institutions.
The University of Houston-Downtown (UHD) is the second-largest university in Houston and has served the educational needs of the nation’s fourth-largest city since 1974. As one of four distinct public universities in the University of Houston System, UHD is a comprehensive, four-year university led by President Loren J. Blanchard. Annually, UHD educates approximately 14,000 students, boasts more than 66,000 alumni, and offers 45 bachelor’s degrees, 12 master’s degrees, and 19 online programs within four colleges: Marilyn Davies College of Business, College of Humanities and Social Sciences, College of Public Service, and College of Sciences and Technology. UHD has one of the lowest tuition rates in Texas.
U.S. News and World Report ranked UHD among the nation’s Best Online Bachelor’s Programs for Applied Administration and Best Online Master’s Programs in Criminal Justice, as well as a Top Performer in Social Mobility. The Wall Street Journal/College Pulse ranked UHD one of the best colleges in the U.S. for its 2024 rankings, with notable distinctions: No. 1 for diversity (tied) and No. 3 for student experience. The University is designated as a Hispanic-Serving Institution, a Minority-Serving Institution, and a Military Friendly School. For more information on the University of Houston-Downtown, visit uhd.edu.
