Emerald reporter Kerri Anderson interviewed DPS Director via e-mail on Sept. 16. Here is an edited transcript of their interview.
Q: How will the new contract with DPS and EPD look this year?
A: The university has contracted with the Eugene Police Department for one police officer to be assigned to the Department of Public Safety’s Targeted Crimes Unit (TCU). This police officer will work with UO TCU public safety officers to address edge campus issues relating to criminal behavior and other quality of life concerns.
Q: Why did UO decide to change their contract with EPD?
A: The university has made a concerted effort to align its campus safety programming with those standards recognized as best practices on the national landscape. Similarly situated public universities typically do not contract externally for police services as they rely on their own law enforcement agencies. This generally accepted approach reflects the unique requirements associated with policing the campus environment. Campus law enforcement agencies operate under a paradigm in which they are directly accountable to the community in which they serve. This accountability ensures that campus police services are fully integrated and responsive to the unique culture of the university community.
Q: Are there any financial reasons for the new contract? Will UO be saving money with the new contract?
A: a) The motivation for re-structuring the police services contract was to provide the university greater flexibility in its ability to deliver culturally aligned and institutionally accountable campus safety services.
b) The university will realize savings from the re-structuring of the police services contract. These savings have been re-invested into campus safety programming to support the department’s safe campus strategic initiatives.
Q: When will the new contract be finalized and put into effect on campus?
A: The current amended contract went into effect June 30, 2009.
Q: Will EPD officers be eliminated from campus? If so, how many and what is the reason for this?
A: The amended contract reduced the number of police officers from 3.75 to 1.0 effective June 30, 2009. Despite this reduction EPD will continue to respond to calls for service as they would for any other constituency within the greater community. In addition, UODPS and EPD leadership routinely engage in collaborative efforts to develop crime reduction strategies within the campus and edge (of) campus neighborhoods.
Q: How will eliminating EPD benefit UO?
A: The re-structuring of the police services contract was a joint effort between the university and the city. It allows the university to develop a campus safety strategy that is more accountable to the university community, and is tailored specifically for that constituency.
Q: What changes will be made to DPS on campus and will they have additional authority than previous years?
A: Currently, commissioned UODPS officers are governed under ORS 352.385 which empowers them to stop and frisk individuals as well as make probable cause arrests. In addition, under the Eugene city code these public safety officers may issue citations for certain municipal violations. The university is seeking expanded municipal citation authority to permit commissioned UODPS officers to issue citations for certain misdemeanor offenses. This change will provide UODPS with greater capabilities when addressing inappropriate conduct and criminal activity on-campus. To ensure student involvement in this process UODPS has been engaging ASUO leadership in discussions on the proposed amendment. The university has also requested that the city council hearing be scheduled for October in order to allow students and student representatives the ability to participate in the municipal legislative process.
Q: Will DPS be armed with additional equipment such as guns? What are your opinions on arming DPS?
A: ORS 352.385 specifically prohibits commissioned UODPS officers from carrying firearms.
Q: What are your opinions on the safety of students at the UO during the year, especially with all the changes going on?
A: The University of Oregon’s Department of Public Safety embraces a collaborative community-oriented, trust-based policing model. Over the past six-months the department has been working with campus partners to develop its Safe Campus Initiative which aims to re-define how campus safety programs and services will be delivered to the university community moving forward. An example of this philosophy can be found in the department’s recently created Safe Campus Team (SCT) which utilizes community-oriented policing and problem-solving techniques to predict, prevent and proactively address campus crime. Using analytical techniques the team works to identify patterns of behavior that significantly impact the quality of life within the campus community. Using this knowledge SCT customizes and implements strategic solutions whose goal is to eliminate the root causes of crime resulting in improved safety on campus. This team is also responsible for engaging the community in problem-solving exercises that includes awareness and prevention education.
Q&A: DPS Director Doug Tripp
Daily Emerald
September 28, 2009
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