The Triangle

Issue date: 3/7/08 Section: News

Media Credit: Seeni Komolafe-The Triangle Drexel University will begin developing a sworn campus police department over the next two and a half years with plans to have a 29-officer force by 2010.

Drexel University will begin developing a sworn campus police department over the next two and a half years with plans to have a 29-officer force by 2010, Domenic Ceccanecchio, senior associate vice president for Public Safety, announced March 5 at a student luncheon.

The Drexel police officers would have the same authority as Philadelphia Police officers, including power of arrest and use of force, Ceccanecchio said.

Currently, Drexel Public Safety officers are contracted through AlliedBarton Security and are unarmed and cannot make arrests. The University also contracts two off-duty Philadelphia Police officers in uniform and marked city police cars to patrol campus.

Ceccanecchio said the University would continue its relationship with AlliedBarton for the "eyes and ears" aspect of campus security while police officers would be used to respond to and prevent crimes at Drexel.

"If something is observed, they [Drexel police] can take immediate action," Ceccanecchio said. "We need to make sure we don't burden them [Drexel police] with non-law enforcement responsibilities."

Drexel Public Safety uses AlliedBarton officers to assist with walking escorts and building access.

The campus police project is a phased plan with the first benchmark in early 2009, with 14 officers on staff by the beginning of that year.

Initial plans presented to the University Board of Trustees described a four-year plan however Ceccanecchio said Mar. 7 that those plans had been accelerated.

The original document describes five "public safety managers" receiving arrest powers, six uniformed officers and supervisors working two shifts in fiscal year 2009. The first officers would work "high crime" periods, according to the plan.

The public safety staff to receive arrest powers also must be graduates of a police academy. Some Drexel officials, including Ceccanecchio, already qualify from prior work in the Philadelphia Police.

Officials said they were still working on a final price tag for the department, but it is expected to cost $2.5 million.

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