In July, an event transpired that shook the Department of Public Safety at its foundation: Then-DPS officer Michael John Bonertz drove his vehicle onto a campus sidewalk and struck 26-year-old Eugene resident Donald Tean Gariepy, who Bonertz said was engaging in “suspicious activity” and attempting to flee via bicycle.
A few weeks later an internal DPS report found misconduct in the officer’s actions and loosely cited vague directives regarding vehicle use. Administrative Lt. Joan Saylor, who conducted the report, concluded that Bonertz dangerously pursued Gariepy despite “specific directions not to drive on the sidewalk.” It became apparent through the situation and report that DPS policies regarding pursuits were non-existent aside from verbal directives.
Last week DPS publicized its intention to develop a new policy detailing how officers should appropriately pursue suspects. The newfound policy will closely resemble that of the Eugene Police Department, DPS Interim Director Tom Hicks said at a recent Public Safety Advisory Group meeting.
And the news couldn’t have come at a better time.
In the aftermath of the summer incident, the students at the University deserved a hint of accountability. It’s good to see the time has finally come, and that DPS has stepped up and given students a sign the department is in fact taking the issue very seriously.
It should be stated that officers serve a vital purpose on campus, and the environment simply wouldn’t be as safe without them. Just two weeks ago, officers diffused a potentially violent situation in the EMU Amphitheater when campus activists clashed. For these services and more, students should be grateful.
But the summer events did prove that officers can be prone to bad decisions, and as a result further analysis into policy obviously serves the greater public good, as is true with any public office granted any sort of policing powers. Thus, the new policy was the best decision that could be made. Another step would have been to fire the officer, but he had already resigned before the internal report was issued.
Furthermore, although trust between students and DPS may have been damaged by the summer’s incident, DPS has justly make amends and renewed perception of the department’s professionalism. A mediation program for students with grievances against officers has been proposed, and DPS has been active in the Public Safety Advisory Group, which allows ASUO and DPS to smooth out any student misgivings with the department.
All in all, it seems DPS has learned from the incident and taken legitimate steps to curb future problems.