[Vision2020] UI Safer With Moscow Police

[Dan Carscallen]

I've typed up several responses to this subject, with my cursor hovering over the send key.  I'm only going to say one thing about this, and it's while wearing my EMS hat:

We can always count on the MPD to show up and help control a scene when we are responding to a medical call on campus (or anywhere else, for that matter, but campus is the subject of the day).  I'm not sure how things would work if we had to wait for some other "security service" to respond.  I implicitly trust the MPD to control the huddled masses, due to their required training and inherent professionalism.  I don't know how much I could trust an outside "vendor" (for lack of a better term) to handle such a situation. 

I hope that University leadership sees the right course of action and continues to contract with the City of Moscow and the MPD.

DC
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Glenn Schwaller 
  To: vision2020 
  Sent: Saturday, April 17, 2010 2:04 PM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] UI Safer With Moscow Police


  Perhaps it may be of value to peruse the last several years of campus
  police calls and determine how many were of "police" necessity
  (holdups at the SUB for example).  I suspect a vast majority (suspect
  - I have not gone into the police logs yet) are of the nature of
  gun-checks, alarm bell ringing in the elevators, traffic control,
  parking problems, noise complaints, all "minor" issues that could be
  handled at less expense by a competent security contractor.  Those
  issues requiring police presence could be contracted on an 'as needed'
  basis.  I suspect given the low frequency of violent crime on campus
  (drunken students firing at passing cars) risk would be minimal
  (here's a can of worms opening up...) and for those at-risk situations
  MDP response would be (could be?  should be?) quick.

  GS

  On Fri, Apr 16, 2010 at 7:41 AM, Tom Hansen <thansen at moscow.com> wrote:
  > Courtesy of today's (April 16, 2010) Moscow-Pullman Daily News with thanks
  > to Chuck Bond of Moscow.
  >
  > ----------------------------------------------------------
  >
  > UI safer with Moscow police
  >
  > In regard to the University of Idaho's upcoming decision to use either a
  > security contractor or the Moscow Police Department for law enforcement at
  > the university, may I make a point?
  >
  > Security contractors are to observe and report, which the public can and
  > does do at no charge to the university or the public. They do not have the
  > authority to arrest or even to intervene, as was so well demonstrated by
  > the lack of effectiveness in the Seattle incident where a young lady was
  > beaten to the point of hospitalization in full view of numerous security
  > personnel and cameras.
  >
  > If things go wrong, be it a noise disturbance or the unthinkable shooting
  > by a gunman, who would you want to be the first on the scene? If money is
  > the primary determining factor, there are plenty of places to start
  > cutting money other than the security of the UI. I would start at the top.
  >
  > Chuck Bond, Moscow
  >
  > ----------------------------------------------------------
  >
  > Thanks, Chuck.
  >
  > Privatized rent-a-cops may save the university a couple bucks, but look
  > across the state line at WSU and the costs related to such an
  > ill-conceived venture.
  >
  > Seeya round town, Moscow.
  >
  > Tom Hansen
  > Moscow, Idaho
  >
  > "The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to change
  > and the Realist adjusts his sails."
  >
  > - Unknown
  >
  >
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