MURFREESBORO, Tenn. (WKRN) — In an effort to continue their pledge against domestic violence and sexual assualt, Middle Tennessee State University has added a specialized detective to handle reports.

Detective Tommy Roberts has more than 25 years of experience in law enforcement. Before this position, he was a detective with the Murfreesboro Police Department.

Nationwide, domestic violence and sexual assault have become big issues among colleges and universities. Detective Roberts says he doesn’t know if his hire is preventative, but hopes it sends a message that these crimes are not tolerated.

MTSU is the largest university in the region and serves more than 22,000 students.

“I encourage anyone who is a victim of either domestic violence or sexual assault to report it,” Detective Roberts says.

The university has many resources for reporting and overcoming these crimes. To learn more, please click here.