Clifford Irick, a UTPD officer/paramedic, in the 1980s.
There was a time when UT Police Department officers also functioned as paramedics and Emergency Medical Technicians.
From the late 1960s to about 1990, UTPD operated an ambulance service and transported people from dorms, UT buildings and the campus area to what was then known as UT Hospital. The department also provided security services for the hospital.
Pictured in this 1980s photo is Clifford Irick, a UTPD officer/paramedic. Of note is the blue light on top of the ambulance to indicate it was a police vehicle as well as the red lights to signify it was an emergency service.
UTPD did not have enough business to justify the expense of the program and discontinued its ambulance service about 1990.
This story is part of the University of Tennessee’s 225th anniversary celebration. Volunteers light the way for others across Tennessee and throughout the world.