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DESIGNING UNIVERSITY POLICE UNITS - AREAS OF CONSIDERATION

NCJ Number
53042
Journal
FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin Volume: 47 Issue: 12 Dated: (DECEMBER 1978) Pages: 12-15
Author(s)
E R BRIDGEMAN
Date Published
1978
Length
4 pages
Annotation
HISTORICAL AND CONTEMPORARY INFLUENCES ON UNIVERSITY POLICING AS A UNIQUE FORM OF LAW ENFORCEMENT ARE CONSIDERED.
Abstract
THERE ARE SIGNIFICANT SIMILARITIES WITHIN VARIOUS ACADEMIC INSTITUTIONS THAT INFLUENCE LAW ENFORCEMENT AND, CONSEQUENTLY, THE ORGANIZATION DESIGNED TO CARRY OUT THE LAW ENFORCEMENT FUNCTION. THESE SIMILARITIES INVOLVE HISTORICAL INFLUENCES RELATING TO A UNIVERSITY'S FORMER FUNCTIONAL NEEDS AND CONTEMPORARY INFLUENCES INVOLVING SETTING, PHILOSOPHICAL POSITION, RELATIONSHIPS WITH CONTINGENT POLICE AGENCIES, THE MISSION OF CAMPUS POLICING UNITS, AND BUDGET CONSTRAINTS. UNIVERSITY POLICING INVOLVES MANY OF THE SAME FUNCTIONS AS MUNICIPAL POLICING. AS A RESULT OF THE CIVIL RIGHTS MOVEMENT OF THE 1950'S AND ANTIWAR ACTIVITIES OF THE 1960'S, UNIVERSITY POLICING HAS MOVED OUT OF THE REALM OF FACILITY SECURITY AND INTO THE FIELD OF LAW ENFORCEMENT. UNIVERSITY POLICE OFFICERS HAVE DEVELOPED A UNIQUE PEER RELATIONSHIP WITH THE CAMPUS POPULATION THAT HAS LIGHTENED THE INVOLVEMENT OF POLICE IN THE UNIVERSITY LIFESTYLE. PUBLIC UNIVERSITY POLICE ARE AUTHORIZED BY STATE, COUNTY, OR LOCAL POLICE AGENCIES IN THEIR LAW ENFORCEMENT DUTIES. THE IMPACT OF UNIVERSITY FACULTY MEMBERS AND STUDENTS ON THE DUTIES OF POLICE, HOWEVER, MUST NOT BE OVERLOOKED. BUDGET FACTORS ARE ALSO IMPORTANT WITH REGARD TO THE CALIBER OF PERSONNEL THAT A UNIVERSITY CAN RECRUIT. THE MISSION OF A CAMPUS POLICE FORCE IS DEPENDENT ON THE TYPE OR STYLE OF POLICING A UNIVERSITY FORCE CAN OFFER. FOR THE MOST PART, IT APPEARS THAT UNIVERSITY POLICING HAS ADOPTED A JUDICIOUS STANCE. (DEP)