Study takes dim view of expanded Univ. Police
Steven Overly
Issue date: 8/29/07 Section: News
A city council-commissioned study says plans to expand University Police jurisdiction into additional student-populated areas of College Park would deplete police resources and divert officers' attention away from the campus.
The recommendation was one of several made in the study released earlier this month that evaluated the city's police services and offered suggestions for improvement for the first time in a decade.
"[University Police] have a responsibility to kind of expand and grow their police operations in the city as their students have moved out into new locations," Bill Gay, a senior manager at Matrix Consulting Group Inc., which conducted the study, told city council members last week.
he main issues that arise from off-campus housing, such as noise complaints and parties, can be solved without county police, Davis said.
"The concurrent jurisdiction as it stands now is sufficient," Davis said. "I don't want to bring the police state out into these areas for quality of life issues that I think we can manage with better communication."
The concurrent jurisdiction was expanded several years ago to include downtown businesses and bars, Dillon said.
Dillon said expanding surveillance again could be considered down the road, but it is not being discussed and would likely spread existing police services too thin, causing more harm than good.
With recent housing shortages sending more students off the campus, city officials say now is the time for the university to change police polices to help ensure student safety.
"If the university isn't providing sufficient housing on campus... then shouldn't they meet the needs of students in off-campus housing that they are forced to live in?" Stullich asked.
Gay, of Matrix Consulting Group advised the council that the university might not be receptive to negotiations, but the city should strive to "get it on their agenda" nonetheless.
overlydbk@gmail.com.
The recommendation was one of several made in the study released earlier this month that evaluated the city's police services and offered suggestions for improvement for the first time in a decade.
"[University Police] have a responsibility to kind of expand and grow their police operations in the city as their students have moved out into new locations," Bill Gay, a senior manager at Matrix Consulting Group Inc., which conducted the study, told city council members last week.
he main issues that arise from off-campus housing, such as noise complaints and parties, can be solved without county police, Davis said.
"The concurrent jurisdiction as it stands now is sufficient," Davis said. "I don't want to bring the police state out into these areas for quality of life issues that I think we can manage with better communication."
The concurrent jurisdiction was expanded several years ago to include downtown businesses and bars, Dillon said.
Dillon said expanding surveillance again could be considered down the road, but it is not being discussed and would likely spread existing police services too thin, causing more harm than good.
With recent housing shortages sending more students off the campus, city officials say now is the time for the university to change police polices to help ensure student safety.
"If the university isn't providing sufficient housing on campus... then shouldn't they meet the needs of students in off-campus housing that they are forced to live in?" Stullich asked.
Gay, of Matrix Consulting Group advised the council that the university might not be receptive to negotiations, but the city should strive to "get it on their agenda" nonetheless.
overlydbk@gmail.com.
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