The MSU Department of Police and Public Safety is welcoming students to the department to increase knowledge about diversity.

Latino students met with employees Tuesday to help improve communication.

MSU police Sgt. Florene McGlothian-Taylor said the department is making diversity training a regular feature, including speakers from the Alliance of Lesbian-Bi-Gay-Transgendered and Straight Ally Students and the Hillel Jewish Student Center.

“We want to open relationships with students,” McGlothian-Taylor said. “This is an ongoing project for us.”

Adnoris Torres, president of Sigma Lambda Beta, a Latino fraternity, spoke to nearly 25 MSU police employees and students.

Torres, a political science and international relations senior, spoke to the group about the differences between names such as Hispanic, Latino and Mexican.

“We like Latino better,” he said. “Hispanic is a made up term, a bland term we don’t like to associate with us. Latino has more of a cultural base, you have a grasp on who you are.”

Hospitality business junior Robert Alcantar said there are methods to improve relations between police and students.

“Getting to know each other is a first step,” said Alcantar, who also is chairman of the 4th Greek Independent Council. “You need to open lines of communication with groups you wouldn’t usually.”

Torres said that by learning about culture, people could understand it more.

“By eating the food, you see the people,” he said. “By dancing their dances, you see the people, learn who they are and learn their culture.”

MSU police Sgt. Alan Haller said meetings with students and police is just another step to improving student and police relations.

“Sometimes not knowing different cultures builds walls,” he said. “This is what we’re doing to break down the walls.”