Article : Marquette Likely to Get Its Own Police Force

[mu_hilltopper]

http://urbanmilwaukee.com/2014/02/19/plenty-of-horne-marquette-likely-to-get-its-own-police-force/

A rare bipartisan bill was introduced in the Senate and Assembly on February 17th to give police powers to the Marquette University campus security forces. The proposals outlined in 2013 SB 610 would give the Jesuit University’s Department of Public Safety authority comparable to that of the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee Police Department, or, indeed of the Milwaukee Police Department itself. The Jesuits have the papacy, and now they want a police department.

Under the bill, “Marquette University police officers [would] have the same powers as Milwaukee law enforcement officers to maintain order, detect and prevent crime, enforce laws and ordinances, and make arrests for violations of laws and ordinances.” Police officers must meet training and certification standards. The university must take out liability insurance and provide written policies. Certified police would be considered “peace officers” for purposes of the Criminal Code and the university would be subject to certain public records requirements.

Currently, Marquette has a public safety staff of 80 professional and 100 student members. By contrast, UWM has 43 full-time police and 35 security officers.  According to the text of the bill, “The university may enter into an agreement with the attorney general and the city of Milwaukee to establish a university police department and employ university police officers for the purposes of maintaining public order, detecting and preventing crime, and enforcing state laws and local ordinances on the grounds of the university and in adjacent areas.” [Emphasis added.]

For purposes of civil and criminal liability, a university police officer may, when in fresh pursuit, follow anywhere in the state and arrest any person for violation of the laws of this state.”

There has been a long-standing perception that the central city Marquette campus has a disproportionate amount of crime, especially contrasted with UWM’s leafy East Side precincts. In 2012, the last year for which statistics are available, Marquette had seven sexual assaults, 13 burglaries, seven aggravated assaults, 35 drug and 15 liquor cases referred for prosecution.  The university administratively handled over 800 drug and alcohol cases involving students, so it is clear that the vast majority of campus security responses are handled in-house and would not require the police powers. The university has 11,700 students.

Although it is in the middle of a middle to upper class neighborhood, UWM, with its 30,000 students, has seen an increase in publicized crimes in its immediate vicinity. The UWM Police criminally prosecuted 6 weapons arrests in 2011, along with 3 sexual assault, 1 aggravated assault, 39 burglaries, 1 arson, 312 liquor law violations and 183 drug arrests. The university administratively disciplined 345 liquor law offenders and 183 drug offenders.

The measure is not about guns, since the Marquette campus force is armed at this time. It appears the Milwaukee Police Department would benefit from this arrangement by having the assistance of MU police to coordinate crime-fighting efforts in the neighborhood. The Marquette campus, although centrally located, is somewhat disjointed and has more community interaction and traffic than the relatively compact and isolated UWM campus — just a lot more non-university people going back and forth. Marquette has some 80 buildings located between W. Clybourn St. and W. Kilbourn Ave. and between N. 9th and N. 20th streets, with dozens of street intersections. [The administration failed to have W. Wisconsin Ave. closed to traffic at one time.] By contrast, there is only one street intersection within the UWM campus.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

I really dislike this idea. I get why they're doing it but I just feel like its going to be used as an excuse to arrest kids that are going to parties. If they are using this to actually prevent cases like sexual assault and robberies then I am all for it but if this turns into. "Look, that kid is publicly intoxicated lets arrest him" they are going to run into some serious backlash.

[MU Fan in Connecticut]

I have to think this is common.  Yale has it's own police force.

[Coleman]

If the MU police force focuses on burglaries, vandalism, violent threats to students by non-MU associated people, actual campus safety, and decreasing real crime in the area, this can be a very good thing.

I fear instead it will simply result in arrests of more students for drinking and drug violations, instead of the university handling them through their internal discplinary system. Which would be a bad thing.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

If the MU police force focuses on burglaries, vandalism, violent threats to students by non-MU associated people, actual campus safety, and decreasing real crime in the area, this can be a very good thing.

I fear instead it will simply result in arrests of more students for drinking and drug violations, instead of the university handling them through their internal discplinary system. Which would be a bad thing.

This +10000

[tower912]

This is not uncommon.   

[Benny B]

I really dislike this idea. I get why they're doing it but I just feel like its going to be used as an excuse to arrest kids that are going to parties. If they are using this to actually prevent cases like sexual assault and robberies then I am all for it but if this turns into. "Look, that kid is publicly intoxicated lets arrest him" they are going to run into some serious backlash.

So you're saying you're OK with enforcing some laws, but not all of them... you're not interviewing for a job with the DOJ are you?

If this happens, MUPD is still going to have to follow due process.  If you're not breaking the law, then don't worry about getting arrested.  If you get arrested, maybe you should have considered that as a consequence before you broke the law.  If you get arrested but didn't break the law, you might get a few semesters of free tuition out of it.

Seems like a win-win-win for society, students and MU, if you ask me.

[GGGG]

If the MU police force focuses on burglaries, vandalism, violent threats to students by non-MU associated people, actual campus safety, and decreasing real crime in the area, this can be a very good thing.

I fear instead it will simply result in arrests of more students for drinking and drug violations, instead of the university handling them through their internal discplinary system. Which would be a bad thing.

In my experience, campus police forces will still wish to use the internal disciplinary system unless there is aggregating behavior.  (violence, vandalism, etc.)

[chapman]

If the MU police force focuses on burglaries, vandalism, violent threats to students by non-MU associated people, actual campus safety, and decreasing real crime in the area, this can be a very good thing.

I fear instead it will simply result in arrests of more students for drinking and drug violations, instead of the university handling them through their internal discplinary system. Which would be a bad thing.

Completely right.  DPS does a fantastic job, and if this empowers them to further increase campus safety it's a great measure.  If it's used to target students who aren't causing trouble, bad bad idea for campus.  That's a university decision; the DPS force won't change behavior to the "not ideal" unless given a poor directive.

[Tugg Speedman]

MUPD is a good idea.  Most Universities have similar powers.  Harvard does for instance.

MUPD will be trained to deal with students.  MUPD will have arrest powers and they will also have to power to bring university disciplinary procedures before an arrest.

In contrast Milwaukee police around MU are trained and deal with hardened criminals all day.  Is that who you want to deal with?  Milwaukee police can throw you in the City Lockup with hardened criminals, is that where you want to go?  Milwaukee police do not have a middle ground of University disciplinary procedures. 

So a real MUPD would benefit the students.  Milwaukee police would essentially hand-off student problems to them.

And remember a real MUPD is not taking the current public safety officers and deputizing them.  Instead they would hire a different type of person.

I hope it happens

[Tugg Speedman]

So you're saying you're OK with enforcing some laws, but not all of them... you're not interviewing for a job with the DOJ are you?

If this happens, MUPD is still going to have to follow due process.  If you're not breaking the law, then don't worry about getting arrested.  If you get arrested, maybe you should have considered that as a consequence before you broke the law.  If you get arrested but didn't break the law, you might get a few semesters of free tuition out of it.

Seems like a win-win-win for society, students and MU, if you ask me.

+1

Let me interpret the other comments ...

They are hoping if they are drunk and "acting up" as long as they are white, look like their parents have money, they think the Milwaukee Police will not bother with them as they are too busy rushing to a drug dealers house to prevent him from pistol whipping their baby momma.

So, they think they can break certain laws (public drunkenness) and get away with it because they Milwukee police do not have the resources to police them.

Now that the University is going to create a real police force dedicated to dealing with them, they are not for it.

Selfless motivates.

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

+1

Let me interpret the other comments ...

They are hoping if they are drunk and "acting up" as long as they are white, look like their parents have money, they think the Milwaukee Police will not bother with them as they are too busy rushing to a drug dealers house to prevent him from pistol whipping their baby momma.

So, they think they can break certain laws (public drunkenness) and get away with it because they Milwukee police do not have the resources to police them.

Now that the University is going to create a real police force dedicated to dealing with them, they are not for it.

Selfless motivates.

Wow, dont you even dare bring race into this. You completely misinterpreted my point. Im too mad to even comment on your post right now so im gonna stop before I say something stupid. If this is the general consensus of what people think MU students think I dont want to be lumped in with that group.

[keefe]

Wow, dont you even dare bring race into this. You completely misinterpreted my point. Im too mad to even comment on your post right now so im gonna stop before I say something stupid.

Too late

[ChitownSpaceForRent]

Let me qualify my point. My personal opinion is that by enacting this they are going to abuse that ability and end up dealing with drunk kids more often then they deal with other things. Its one of those things "if it aint broke dont fix it" MPD has their job and DPS has theirs.

[Tugg Speedman]

Wow, dont you even dare bring race into this. You completely misinterpreted my point. Im too mad to even comment on your post right now so im gonna stop before I say something stupid.

Look you wrote ....

I really dislike this idea. I get why they're doing it but I just feel like its going to be used as an excuse to arrest kids that are going to parties.

That what it sounded like to me, and apparently Keefe and Benny thought the same thing.

[Tugg Speedman]

Let me qualify my point. My personal opinion is that by enacting this they are going to abuse that ability and end up dealing with drunk kids more often then they deal with other things. Its one of those things "if it aint broke dont fix it" MPD has their job and DPS has theirs.

Ok, much better.

You wrote ....

if it aint broke dont fix it

But the article says:

In 2012, the last year for which statistics are available, Marquette had seven sexual assaults, 13 burglaries, seven aggravated assaults, 35 drug and 15 liquor cases referred for prosecution.  The university administratively handled over 800 drug and alcohol cases involving students, so it is clear that the vast majority of campus security responses are handled in-house and would not require the police powers.

Sounds to me like something is broke.

[Coleman]

Ok, much better.

You wrote ....

if it aint broke dont fix it

But the article says:

In 2012, the last year for which statistics are available, Marquette had seven sexual assaults, 13 burglaries, seven aggravated assaults, 35 drug and 15 liquor cases referred for prosecution.  The university administratively handled over 800 drug and alcohol cases involving students, so it is clear that the vast majority of campus security responses are handled in-house and would not require the police powers.

Sounds to me like something is broke.

Not agreeing or disagreeing with you, but how does that stack up against other major urban universities? Isn't that important information to know?

[Tugg Speedman]

Not agreeing or disagreeing with you, but how does that stack up against other major urban universities? Isn't that important information to know?

I don't know and I would like to know how that stacks up to urban unviserities that both have and do not have arrest powers.

Let me offer this ... MU wants these powers and the state senate and assembly agree as they seem poised to give them those powers.  I'll take this to mean the stats above are a problem.

[Galway Eagle]

I'll never send my kid to MU if this goes through on top of the other alcohol violation things.  I think it's funny that on the nostalgic thread so many of you are talking about underage bars and parties but hey now that you're old and wrinkley you're all for this campus becoming a police state.

 Essard don't bother with Heisenberg he's always just going to antagonize you. I found that out in his take on boxing.   

Finally, after having just gone through a battery case. In which  I was a attacked and fought back (you can figure how that went for the guy). I was found as the assailant by DPS because they took the other guys statement and not mine and wrote me down as 6'0" 200lbs (same as my assailant) when I'm 5'7" 150. If the people who did that are given police powers I am absolutely opposed to that.  These people may occasionally be ex security force, ex army, retired cops, but with all due respect after what happened to me I would never support this idea. 

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

I think the DPS people generally have a good relationship with students because students trust them. DPS is considered to be part of the university (obviously). They can relate to students.

If it's turned into a regular police force, I think it's going to invite a whole other type of employee, one that might not see his job as working with students, but rather working against students.

I also think that the last thing we need is any kind of warrior cop introduced to campus, which is the average mentality of today's police force. No thank you.

[swoopem]

Heisenberg were you a perfect student/kid who never had a sip of alcohol until your 21st birthday?

[Galway Eagle]

Heisenberg were you a perfect student/kid who never had a sip of alcohol until your 21st birthday?

This is a trap the drinking age was probably 18 so he'll say he did but it was legal and then go silent if you ask would he have

[keefe]

Not agreeing or disagreeing with you, but how does that stack up against other major urban universities? Isn't that important information to know?

Not sure that comparisons are actually relevant. In any event, I am actually against deputizing a MU police force. There is enough law enforcement in this country. Tom Jefferson would be horrified at how many cops there are in America.

The big thing back in my day was the MPD handing out tickets for jay walking across WI Ave. A guy from my floor took off when a MPD cop told him to stop in the name of the law. It triggered a massive manhunt in McCormick.

2 years later we're drinking in the Camel Club when an argument breaks out and is settled with gunfire. From my perspective there was more than enough serious crime to keep the city cops busy. Instead, they handed out jay walking tickets to MU students.   

[Tugg Speedman]

Correct, the drinking age was 18 so I was legal to enter bars and drink my Freshman year.

Did I get in trouble?  Yes on that count too, both from DPS and Milwaukee police.  Even spent time in the city lock-up.

So given this, I'm all for given DPS the powers to handle these cases.  You don't what you pimply skinny white kid thrown into the city lock-up with hardened criminals because the Milwaukee police did want to deal with you.  Been there and that is 100 times worse than being hassled by a new MUPD.  (and, for the record, nothing happened.  I was not told a had a "preddy mouth" or forced to sequel like a pig.)

And speaking of police powers, I had a car my junior year (lived at 14th and Kilbourn).  It was broken into and the stereo and other things were stolen.  When I called the police they were simply uninterested.  I was told I could go down to the police station and fill out a report.  I was bluntly told that no investigation would happen and nothing other than filing the report would be done.  So, yes, if DPS had police powers and actually investigated crime in/around MU, I think that is good.

I guess I'm coming at it from the opposite direction ... I see Milwaukee police as he oppressors and MUPD as the liberators.  Not the other way around.  Remember when I was at MU, in the early 1980s that SOB Harold Brier was the Milwaukee Police Chief and the cops were thugs.  Recall the Violent Femmes song of that era "no killings" which was about the Milwaukee police department.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Z9FjScwWGc8


Added ...

I knew about this case personally and maybe that is why I have my opinion about the MPD

The Ernest Lacy Incident

On June 9, 1981 the Milwaukee Police were cruising the downtown Milwaukee area looking for a "rape suspect" when they came upon a troubled young man named Ernest Lacy.    When the police tried to talk to Lacy he began to struggle with them.  Lacy was eventually arrested and placed into the rear of a police van where he was later found dead.  A Marquette University student, Mary Keane, saw the incident from across the street.  She later testified that Lacy was already motionless while being pinned to the street by the officers.  According to Keane, Lacy began to "spaz out" as the officers loaded him into the back of the police van.

Two years the Milwaukee Fire and Police Commission found five police officers guilty of failing to render first aid to Lacy.

Although the Lacy case might seem to be a garden-variety matter of excessive use of force by police, the Lacy case is important because, at the time,  it was a lightning-rod in the city for citizens- especially black citizens- who were fed-up with the brutal police tactics of the police chief at the time, Harold Brier.  Nearly one thousand people showed up at a jury view of the scene in September, 1982.   The crowd began chanting, "What do we want?  Justice.   When do we want it? Now."   This case was the beginning of the citizen revolt against police brutality that ended with the 2007 conviction in federal court of the police officers involved in the Frank Jude beating.

Added later ... I was at this show and saw this personally

http://reasonabledoubt.org/criminallawblog/entry/january-18-1981-plasmatics-wendy-o-williams-arrested-for-obscenity-today-in-crime-history

January 18, 1981, Plasmatics’ Wendy O. Williams Arrested For Obscenity




On this day, January 28, in the year 1981, Plasmatics band member Wendy O. Williams was arrested on an obscenity charge for allegedly simulating a sexual act with a sledge hammer.  During her physical arrest, Williams was injured and was also charged with battery on a law enforcement officer.

The Plasmatics' Wendy O. Williams was a punk singer and performance artist known for sexually provocative performances, detonating equipment and wielding chainsaws on stage.  On January 18, 1981, she brought her act to The Palms nightclub in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.  Milwaukee Police were apparently offended by William’s actions in the night club involving a sledge hammer.  She allegedly performed simulated fellatio on the sledge hammer and simulated masturbation with the sledge hammer in front of the audience.

When police came to arrest Williams, they felt it was necessary to pin her to the ground in order to control her.  After her arrest she required medical attention and received multiple stitches above her eye as a result of her alleged resistance.   The band’s manager Rod Swenson was also arrested for obstructing an officer when he attempted to protect Williams during her violent take down by police that night.

[RJax55]

Heisenberg, I fail to see how incidents that happened in the early 80s are relevant in today's discussion of creating a MU police force in the near future.

I agree, with warrior07 comments. During my time at MU, I thought that DPS and the student body had a good relationship, with trust on both sides. It worked very well.

The creation of a MU police force could change that dynamic. Could be a negative both for the students and the university.