Spring Break
Editorial
Drexel police will make campus safer
Editorial Board
Issue date: 3/7/08 Section: Ed-Op
It's finally here - the announcement of the creation of a campus police force. It's been no secret that fear of crime is a major problem on Drexel's campus. While our location put us in close proximity to Center City, it also comes with the dangers of living in West Philadelphia. The harsh reality is that some off-campus homes are dangerous, and Drexel Public Safety doesn't always patrol far enough off campus to keep all students safe.
If Drexel wants to continue its growth, it cannot rely on unarmed security personnel that do not have powers of arrest. Students need to feel safe, or they will eventually leave. Drexel's Department of Public Safety has shown it understands this by forming a campus police force.
A school with Drexel's size and location needs to have a campus police force. The University of Pennsylvania has its own, as does Temple. We're glad to see our University finally follow in their footsteps.
The increased presence of a Drexel Police force will act as a deterrent to potential offenders and lead to less crime on and around campus. Notice, however, that an increased presence is required. The University needs to recognize that its students live in Powelton Village. This not only means including Powelton Village in its patrols, but concentrating efforts there. This is especially needed during the night time hours, when many students are returning to their off campus residences from campus.
Sworn police officers working for the University will bring this much-needed presence to our campus and neighboring areas. Presence is not the only thing positive about the campus police; police can act immediately to stop crimes and arrest suspects.
We'd also like to see Public Safety continuing their work with the student body. With the University only guaranteeing students one year of housing, it must be a priority for the administration to look at the needs of students living off campus. Along with the police force, we need services for "resimuters," (as USGA calls them) students who don't live in dorms but still live close to campus. For example, the University of Pennsylvania has a shuttle students can call late at night to get a safe ride around campus. Something like that would be great in increasing student safety at Drexel.
Education on the surrounding off-campus housing options would also go a long way in giving students the power to make informed decisions about their safety.
Drexel's Senior Associate Vice President for Public Safety Domenic Ceccanecchio and his colleagues are on the right track with this move. Ceccanecchio's goal "to create a culture of safety" among students, faculty and staff is the best way to ensure the University community feels safe, just as much or even more so than low crime statistics.
A campus police department is only one piece of the overall security puzzle at Drexel and the force must be sensitive to a college population. The police officers must be highly visible and as skilled in customer service as police tactics. Only through transparency and regular communication will, the new campus police be able to lessen the fear of crime.
If Drexel wants to continue its growth, it cannot rely on unarmed security personnel that do not have powers of arrest. Students need to feel safe, or they will eventually leave. Drexel's Department of Public Safety has shown it understands this by forming a campus police force.
A school with Drexel's size and location needs to have a campus police force. The University of Pennsylvania has its own, as does Temple. We're glad to see our University finally follow in their footsteps.
The increased presence of a Drexel Police force will act as a deterrent to potential offenders and lead to less crime on and around campus. Notice, however, that an increased presence is required. The University needs to recognize that its students live in Powelton Village. This not only means including Powelton Village in its patrols, but concentrating efforts there. This is especially needed during the night time hours, when many students are returning to their off campus residences from campus.
Sworn police officers working for the University will bring this much-needed presence to our campus and neighboring areas. Presence is not the only thing positive about the campus police; police can act immediately to stop crimes and arrest suspects.
We'd also like to see Public Safety continuing their work with the student body. With the University only guaranteeing students one year of housing, it must be a priority for the administration to look at the needs of students living off campus. Along with the police force, we need services for "resimuters," (as USGA calls them) students who don't live in dorms but still live close to campus. For example, the University of Pennsylvania has a shuttle students can call late at night to get a safe ride around campus. Something like that would be great in increasing student safety at Drexel.
Education on the surrounding off-campus housing options would also go a long way in giving students the power to make informed decisions about their safety.
Drexel's Senior Associate Vice President for Public Safety Domenic Ceccanecchio and his colleagues are on the right track with this move. Ceccanecchio's goal "to create a culture of safety" among students, faculty and staff is the best way to ensure the University community feels safe, just as much or even more so than low crime statistics.
A campus police department is only one piece of the overall security puzzle at Drexel and the force must be sensitive to a college population. The police officers must be highly visible and as skilled in customer service as police tactics. Only through transparency and regular communication will, the new campus police be able to lessen the fear of crime.
Viewing Comments 1 - 2 of 2
Carnell Sisco
posted 3/08/08 @ 4:22 AM EST
Great, Finally Drexel students will have the ultimate saftey and security which there expensive tuition pays for. Im happy.
L. Weaver
posted 3/13/08 @ 12:52 AM EST
A private military force for Drexel, that would be the ULTIMATE in safety
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