Article : Marquette Likely to Get Its Own Police Force

[Tugg Speedman]

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.

A large urban police department is trained with a skill-set that might not mesh well with a students of a private university where tuition costs $34,000/year.  Yes, go ahead an extrapolate the stereotypes here because my experience, noted above, makes me believe it is true.  We saw the Milwaukee police force as something to be avoided at all costs, even if you were involved in a crime.

Now you will tell me that the Milwaukee PD different now and I'm sure it is.  But it could be different again in the future and more like the 1980s Brier era Jack-booted thugs.  If esard2011 is worried about getting arrested by MUPD for drinking, then you REALLY don't want the same from the MPD.  They are much worse on MU students (again, this was my experience).

I would rather MU had its own police force that they can control and not have to rely on the MPD as much.

[Tugg Speedman]

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.

Agreed ... so its up to MU to make sure they get the right person.  Sounds like they've done a good job so far.

If MU students have a good relationship, and the new MUPD has the powers to investigate and arrest, help you get back your stolen stuff, help you deal with potential criminal activity among students, and not involve the MPD, I think that strengthens their relationship with the students.

[Galway Eagle]

I'm telling you old alums the university sells the idea that students and dps are in love with each other but I have yet to come across a student who's happy with the policies dps has and the way the run things.

[keefe]

its up to MU to make sure they get the right person.

This is the critical path. The composition of the initial cadre will signal what security environment Marquette's leadership wants.

[swoopem]

I'm telling you old alums the university sells the idea that students and dps are in love with each other but I have yet to come across a student who's happy with the policies dps has and the way the run things.

I graduated in 2010 and had zero problems with DPS.

[Galway Eagle]

I graduated in 2010 and had zero problems with DPS.

Which means there's been five years since then.  Imagine them ticketing you for drinking now instead of just sending you to the hall director to write a paper.  And I'm guessing you didn't get screwed over by there shoddy reporting after fights

[swoopem]

Which means there's been five years since then.  Imagine them ticketing you for drinking now instead of just sending you to the hall director to write a paper.  And I'm guessing you didn't get screwed over by there shoddy reporting after fights

True. When I got caught drinking in the dorms it was only a write up. When I got caught drinking underage at Angelo's I got a $100 ticket. When I got arrested for a stupid ass fight I spent the night in jail, had to pay some serious fines plus lawyer fees, and got put on MU probation

All of that was my fault. DPS had nothing to do with it.

[keefe]

I graduated in 2010 and had zero problems with DPS.

DPS was a non-factor during my time. In fact, I volunteered for the Student Escort Service and we got little support from DPS because they were invisible.

But like Heisenberg mentioned, the MPD under Harold Brier was like 1936 Berlin and Marquette students were the Jewish shopkeepers. Cops were not just giving out jaywalking tickets but were pretty aggressive in raiding house parties in the combat zone north of Wells.

I knew one guy who had trouble getting his security clearance post Marquette because of some public drinking issue while at MU. He was cleared, eventually, but he had to explain to his Commander and the DIS agents that "public indecency" was not being Chester the Molester at the grade school but urinating in an alley while walking home drunk from Lenny's at oh dark thirty. We have all watered a bush in our time so think about how an overly zealous cop could have screwed up your life to some degree. Today, he would likely have to register as a sex offender.

I am not familiar with the security situation on and around campus today but in my trips back the area looks markedly better than it did under Buck Raynor. If the MPD is still an American Gestapo then the Marquette community might be better served with its own force. But if it is just another layer of fascist oversight then I would be opposed.

[keefe]

True. When I got caught drinking in the dorms it was only a write up. When I got caught drinking underage at Angelo's I got a $100 ticket. When I got arrested for a stupid ass fight I spent the night in jail, had to pay some serious fines plus lawyer fees, and got put on MU probation

All of that was my fault. DPS had nothing to do with it.

You had quite an illustrious Marquette career. Are you a lawyer, today?

[Coleman]

I volunteered for the Student Escort Service

Who would have pegged Keefe for a male escort?

[nyg]

For those interested in crime reports, the FBI's Uniform Crime Report should be online and have the appropriate crime index/statistics for various universities/colleges across the US.  Not 100% sure, but very likely if you did some research.  

The movement of a Public Safety Department to a Police Department is a major step and will take some time for the department to function in an effective and efficient manner.  One of the first steps would be to hire a Chief with actual police background.  I believe the prior Director, Larry Rickard, retired back in September and I don't know if a full time replacement has been named.  Rickard did not have a police background, but I presume he did a commendable job since his tenure was quite long.  Once the Department gets past the early stages, the most important issue will be to obtain accreditation, which in turn would enable the department to obtain federal funds to enhance the department's needs.  This takes years, but is an extremely important factor.

I have no knowledge as to how the current officers were trained, whether or not they went through a major police academy, but yes that is a critical point.  Maybe there will be a requirement for re-training.  

The new department would also have to form a Criminal Investigative Division, in which detectives are assigned to work those criminal investigations which occur on the campus's jurisdiction.  No more referring to Milwaukee PD. Then interact with the Assistant States Attorneys to prosecute the cases. Since the uniform officers who are currently on the force have not worked such cases in an investigator's capacity, this would be a difficult task to find suitable candidates from the ranks.  In the event of a serious violent crime requiring the obtaining of evidence, the new department would rely on Milwaukee PD's Crime Scene Investigators and assistance from the Major Crimes Unit.  This is usually the case with small university/municipal police departments.  There are numerous additional requirements for the conversion to a full time police force and the budget to make this happen might be considerable.  

If approved, it will be a lengthy learning process and the most important factor, as some have mentioned, will be the training of the officers.

 

[swoopem]

You had quite an illustrious Marquette career. Are you a lawyer, today?

I am not, but my bank account wishes I was

[Coleman]

What exactly would be the jurisdiction boundaries? MU is geographically tiny. I'm guessing something like 27th to 8th, Clybourn to State? Plus Valley Fields?

[mu03eng]

A couple of things to keep in mind. 

A lot of people complained about the way MU handled the sexual assault issues and not reporting them to MPD and sweeping them under the rug....that becomes much more likely (or at least accusations of looking the other way) with an MUPD.  That was part of the issue at Penn State and Sandusky.  He was reported to the head of university police who investigated and supposedly found nothing.  Obviously a significant outlier but it's relevant.  Relying on MPD eliminates an appearance of impropriety.

Another is creating a police force to replace public safety changes the focus of the organization from keeping students safe to enforcing laws, which can be a good or bad thing, but I think much more likely to result in bad than good.

Lastly, MU just went through cost cutting measures, they are really going to take on the cost of a police force which by definition would have to cost more than MPS?

[real chili 83]

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.

I remember the incidents that Hberg refers too.  The Milwaukee PD were thugs then. Like Keefe mentioned, they'd bust you for jaywalking.  Effin jaywalking.

There are many, many good police officers out there.  We need to thank them for their service...as deserving as the military. Sometimes, even more so.  

Let's face it, MUPD will only be as good as its leadership.  With 80 some members, ther will be, statistically speaking, one or two bad ones over time.  They need to be judged by their body of work over time.  

[warriorchick]

I'm telling you old alums the university sells the idea that students and dps are in love with each other but I have yet to come across a student who's happy with the policies dps has and the way the run things.

My kids are fine with DPS.  Of course, they don't show blatant disregard for the rules, either.

[🏀]

I graduated in 2008, the only major issue I had with DPS is when they shut down Schroedor looking for me one night.

However, I do share similar concerns as the Piper. I would really hope some of those DPS officers are not given automatic police authority. I know there are many officers with better training that that of your typical law enforcement agent and MU pays them well. There are some though, that, yeah, I don't know.

[ChicosBailBonds]

I'm telling you old alums the university sells the idea that students and dps are in love with each other but I have yet to come across a student who's happy with the policies dps has and the way the run things.

Isn't that often the case with students and authority?

[reinko]

I graduated in 2008, the only major issue I had with DPS is when they shut down Schroedor looking for me one night.

However, I do share similar concerns as the Piper. I would really hope some of those DPS officers are not given automatic police authority. I know there are many officers with better training that that of your typical law enforcement agent and MU pays them well. There are some though, that, yeah, I don't know.

DO tell!

[jsglow]

Back in the days before DPS carried sidearms they were largely an ineffective and counter productive force.  Upon my return to campus some 30 years later I now believe them to be an effective deterrent that does a good job of understanding their supportive role largely aimed at protecting the students.  I concur that MPD in the 70s and early 80s failed to serve the public interest in many of its actions.  Recall that Milwaukee was a city in transition during those days, only a handful of years removed from forced busing and the mixing of what had been America's most segregated city.  Chief Brier was a relic from a foregone era and by 1981 the city suffered.  I also think it's a bit of hyperbole to believe that a newly created MUPD with arrest power will somehow morph into the Gestapo.  Frankly, there's been too much of an escalation in crime within the Marquette neighborhood in the last 2 years for my taste not to take proactive steps to eradicate it via a more substantial police presence.  If MPD can't do it likely for budgetary reasons, Marquette must.   

[🏀]

DO tell!

It was the night of January 20th, 2006.

It was only a few hours after Steve Novak dropped the game winning three-pointer with 1.3 seconds left against Notre Dame.

It was 17 hours after PTM and a group of Schroedor Hall residents starting drinking that morning.


The Morning
In lieu of the standard PTM big gameday morning of strapping on a faux beer belly filled with assorted alcoholic spirits and standing in line at the Bradley Center all day long for seats in Section 106, I had decided to join some friends in early morning drinking.

We opened up with kegs & eggs at a Renee Row courtyard apartment until the early afternoon. While enjoyable we spent the majority of the time chasing freshmen and other unwanteds away from the patio that was being heated with an industrial heater. After tapping out the third barrel of Lite we moved onto Jim Hegarty's for lunch. Things get a little blurry after this....Jim's Timeout was involved....and Buck Bradley's....and maybe Duke's....maybe.

The Game

Completely inebriated. I remember two things. The first being the Steve Novak shot and Mike Kinsella owning Torin Francis. I spent the majority of the time after the game declaring that junior Mike Kinsella had arrived, even though #20's shot was the true story. I remember a foggy, but extremely spirited walk back to campus after the night game.

The Residence Hall

As a sophomore I resided in Mashuda with fellow Top 10 Scoop poster, TallTitan34. After supposedly alienating our third resident into moving out of our room at Winter Break, we had the triple sized room to ourselves that was completely altered into different levels and a mega bunk bed. Completely irrelavant to the story, but levels, Jerry, levels.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/aQyXeLSL0II" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/aQyXeLSL0II</a>

After the game, we ended up back in Schroedor to dabble in some after game spirits. As you all likely know, Schroedor has a turnstyle system that is guarded by the Desk Receptionist. Being a Mashuda residence, I had to get checked in.

After a bit of time in a room, the Night Duty RAs knocked on the door. We weren't attracting attention, but whatever that's a different topic as we were profiled.

The two RAs came into the room, and asked for all the of non-Schroedor residents to leave. Myself and another then left the room and went down a couple floors to hang out with another resident. We only half-thought at the time that the RAs just wanted us to step outside the room, not leave entirely.

We spent a good 20-30 minutes in another friend's room before word starting getting to us that DPS had entirely shut down all admittance and departures from the building. Additionally, all of the elevators were brought down to the first floor and locked there.

After trying to strategize a way out, we decided we were pretty much boned. The desk receptionist had us checked in under the resident who got busted and they had our MU IDs, even an escape would land us in additional trouble.

We took the stairs down to the lobby, walked up to the DPS officer manning the desk and said we needed to check out, but we couldn't find our resident that checked us in. He was already holding our IDs and three officers then proceeded to take us in the back where the Hall offices were. The entire little holding area in-between the turnstyles and elevator was shoulder to shoulder, and the lines to get into the building were out both entrances.

DPS takes us into the back room and the RAs from the bust join them. After a spirited discussion about the RAs use of the words "non-Schroder residents leave the room", they RAs left to continue Night Duty. The three DPS officers were somewhat humorous. I asked what kind of punishment we were looking at. The older DPS officer of the three responded with, "I don't know, son. I've never had to do this, but I would have done the same thing if those peppy RAs pricks said to leave the room. However, you're facing the Residence Life Office, so you're probably unnatural carnal knowledgeed."

The Aftermath

Previously, I had already been punished for two alcohol related offenses in Mashuda. The following day was filled with panic stricken hand wringing as the Student Conduct board had informed me that my third offense would result in my expulsion from all residence halls.

A couple weeks later, I received a letter which basically stated I was not allowed in Schroedor Hall for the remainder of my time on campus. I never tried to go back, so I'm not sure how that would have been enforced.

After receiving the letter, I called DPS asking to talk to the older officer that night since I was expecting certain doom after this incident. The officer called me back several days later and explained he reported that the RAs should have been more direct in talking to us and he thought they were lying when they spoke to DPS officers about what they said trying to cover up their mistake. I later found out the two RAs received disciplinary action for lying to DPS officers as well.

[jsglow]

It was the night of January 20th, 2006.

It was only a few hours after Steve Novak dropped the game winning three-pointer with 1.3 seconds left against Notre Dame.

It was 17 hours after PTM and a group of Schroedor Hall residents starting drinking that morning.


The Morning
In lieu of the standard PTM big gameday morning of strapping on a faux beer belly filled with assorted alcoholic spirits and standing in line at the Bradley Center all day long for seats in Section 106, I had decided to join some friends in early morning drinking.

We opened up with kegs & eggs at a Renee Row courtyard apartment until the early afternoon. While enjoyable we spent the majority of the time chasing freshmen and other unwanteds away from the patio that was being heated with an industrial heater. After tapping out the third barrel of Lite we moved onto Jim Hegarty's for lunch. Things get a little blurry after this....Jim's Timeout was involved....and Buck Bradley's....and maybe Duke's....maybe.

The Game

Completely inebriated. I remember two things. The first being the Steve Novak shot and Mike Kinsella owning Torin Francis. I spent the majority of the time after the game declaring that junior Mike Kinsella had arrived, even though #20's shot was the true story. I remember a foggy, but extremely spirited walk back to campus after the night game.

The Residence Hall

As a sophomore I resided in Mashuda with fellow Top 10 Scoop poster, TallTitan34. After supposedly alienating our third resident into moving out of our room at Winter Break, we had the triple sized room to ourselves that was completely altered into different levels and a mega bunk bed. Completely irrelavant to the story, but levels, Jerry, levels.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/aQyXeLSL0II" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/aQyXeLSL0II</a>

After the game, we ended up back in Schroedor to dabble in some after game spirits. As you all likely know, Schroedor has a turnstyle system that is guarded by the Desk Receptionist. Being a Mashuda residence, I had to get checked in.

After a bit of time in a room, the Night Duty RAs knocked on the door. We weren't attracting attention, but whatever that's a different topic as we were profiled.

The two RAs came into the room, and asked for all the of non-Schroedor residents to leave. Myself and another then left the room and went down a couple floors to hang out with another resident. We only half-thought at the time that the RAs just wanted us to step outside the room, not leave entirely.

We spent a good 20-30 minutes in another friend's room before word starting getting to us that DPS had entirely shut down all admittance and departures from the building. Additionally, all of the elevators were brought down to the first floor and locked there.

After trying to strategize a way out, we decided we were pretty much boned. The desk receptionist had us checked in under the resident who got busted and they had our MU IDs, even an escape would land us in additional trouble.

We took the stairs down to the lobby, walked up to the DPS officer manning the desk and said we needed to check out, but we couldn't find our resident that checked us in. He was already holding our IDs and three officers then proceeded to take us in the back where the Hall offices were. The entire little holding area in-between the turnstyles and elevator was shoulder to shoulder, and the lines to get into the building were out both entrances.

DPS takes us into the back room and the RAs from the bust join them. After a spirited discussion about the RAs use of the words "non-Schroder residents leave the room", they RAs left to continue Night Duty. The three DPS officers were somewhat humorous. I asked what kind of punishment we were looking at. The older DPS officer of the three responded with, "I don't know, son. I've never had to do this, but I would have done the same thing if those peppy RAs pricks said to leave the room. However, you're facing the Residence Life Office, so you're probably unnatural carnal knowledgeed."

The Aftermath

Previously, I had already been punished for two alcohol related offenses in Mashuda. The following day was filled with panic stricken hand wringing as the Student Conduct board had informed me that my third offense would result in my expulsion from all residence halls.

A couple weeks later, I received a letter which basically stated I was not allowed in Schroedor Hall for the remainder of my time on campus. I never tried to go back, so I'm not sure how that would have been enforced.

After receiving the letter, I called DPS asking to talk to the older officer that night since I was expecting certain doom after this incident. The officer called me back several days later and explained he reported that the RAs should have been more direct in talking to us and he thought they were lying when they spoke to DPS officers about what they said trying to cover up their mistake. I later found out the two RAs received disciplinary action for lying to DPS officers as well.

Great story PTM.  Obviously a hardened criminal.   

[Coleman]

It was the night of January 20th, 2006.

It was only a few hours after Steve Novak dropped the game winning three-pointer with 1.3 seconds left against Notre Dame.

It was 17 hours after PTM and a group of Schroedor Hall residents starting drinking that morning.


The Morning
In lieu of the standard PTM big gameday morning of strapping on a faux beer belly filled with assorted alcoholic spirits and standing in line at the Bradley Center all day long for seats in Section 106, I had decided to join some friends in early morning drinking.

We opened up with kegs & eggs at a Renee Row courtyard apartment until the early afternoon. While enjoyable we spent the majority of the time chasing freshmen and other unwanteds away from the patio that was being heated with an industrial heater. After tapping out the third barrel of Lite we moved onto Jim Hegarty's for lunch. Things get a little blurry after this....Jim's Timeout was involved....and Buck Bradley's....and maybe Duke's....maybe.

The Game

Completely inebriated. I remember two things. The first being the Steve Novak shot and Mike Kinsella owning Torin Francis. I spent the majority of the time after the game declaring that junior Mike Kinsella had arrived, even though #20's shot was the true story. I remember a foggy, but extremely spirited walk back to campus after the night game.

The Residence Hall

As a sophomore I resided in Mashuda with fellow Top 10 Scoop poster, TallTitan34. After supposedly alienating our third resident into moving out of our room at Winter Break, we had the triple sized room to ourselves that was completely altered into different levels and a mega bunk bed. Completely irrelavant to the story, but levels, Jerry, levels.

<a href="http://www.youtube.com/v/aQyXeLSL0II" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" class="bbc_link bbc_flash_disabled new_win">http://www.youtube.com/v/aQyXeLSL0II</a>

After the game, we ended up back in Schroedor to dabble in some after game spirits. As you all likely know, Schroedor has a turnstyle system that is guarded by the Desk Receptionist. Being a Mashuda residence, I had to get checked in.

After a bit of time in a room, the Night Duty RAs knocked on the door. We weren't attracting attention, but whatever that's a different topic as we were profiled.

The two RAs came into the room, and asked for all the of non-Schroedor residents to leave. Myself and another then left the room and went down a couple floors to hang out with another resident. We only half-thought at the time that the RAs just wanted us to step outside the room, not leave entirely.

We spent a good 20-30 minutes in another friend's room before word starting getting to us that DPS had entirely shut down all admittance and departures from the building. Additionally, all of the elevators were brought down to the first floor and locked there.

After trying to strategize a way out, we decided we were pretty much boned. The desk receptionist had us checked in under the resident who got busted and they had our MU IDs, even an escape would land us in additional trouble.

We took the stairs down to the lobby, walked up to the DPS officer manning the desk and said we needed to check out, but we couldn't find our resident that checked us in. He was already holding our IDs and three officers then proceeded to take us in the back where the Hall offices were. The entire little holding area in-between the turnstyles and elevator was shoulder to shoulder, and the lines to get into the building were out both entrances.

DPS takes us into the back room and the RAs from the bust join them. After a spirited discussion about the RAs use of the words "non-Schroder residents leave the room", they RAs left to continue Night Duty. The three DPS officers were somewhat humorous. I asked what kind of punishment we were looking at. The older DPS officer of the three responded with, "I don't know, son. I've never had to do this, but I would have done the same thing if those peppy RAs pricks said to leave the room. However, you're facing the Residence Life Office, so you're probably unnatural carnal knowledgeed."

The Aftermath

Previously, I had already been punished for two alcohol related offenses in Mashuda. The following day was filled with panic stricken hand wringing as the Student Conduct board had informed me that my third offense would result in my expulsion from all residence halls.

A couple weeks later, I received a letter which basically stated I was not allowed in Schroedor Hall for the remainder of my time on campus. I never tried to go back, so I'm not sure how that would have been enforced.

After receiving the letter, I called DPS asking to talk to the older officer that night since I was expecting certain doom after this incident. The officer called me back several days later and explained he reported that the RAs should have been more direct in talking to us and he thought they were lying when they spoke to DPS officers about what they said trying to cover up their mistake. I later found out the two RAs received disciplinary action for lying to DPS officers as well.

I was in the same class as you ('08), I don't think we know each other but I was definitely at the party in Renee Row that day, Hegartys (our normal stop on the way to the BC) blacked out at the Notre Dame game (but I remember Novaks shot). What a great day. Pure mischief.

[chapman]

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.

Agree, and felt students and DPS had a positive relationship in my time as well (as another proud '08er).  Actually spent my first semester at UW-Madison.  The campus police there would walk through the dorms several times each night looking for drunk kids who weren't causing any trouble to hand citations - saw it happen several times.  Meanwhile, walking around campus at night felt far less safe than MU's campus, largely due to lack of police presence.  At MU, every other car on the road late at night is a DPS vehicle, placing student safety as top priority.  MU does not want that switch in dynamic.     

[keefe]

When living in Boston my wife agreed to participate in a college fair for prospective students. Something came up so I subbed for her. I was paired up with a female grad of the Nursing College. One father daughter combo was sitting at our table and we fielded their various questions about MU. The father asked about campus safety and I said with great conviction that it was urban but safe. The nurse immediately offered a different opinion.

Fact is we were both right. I mentioned it to my wife later that night and she agreed. She pointed out that a 200 pound male who bench presses 400 pounds male doesn't have the same fears as a 120 pound female who struggles with a box from Costco.

I am not aware of the current security situation around MU so I can't say if they need a police force. But an upgrade in skills will require increased costs over the current DPS budget. In a climate where academic support staff are being laid off that is a tough decision. But at the end of the day, this is a classic risk management scenario, If there is a legitimate concern for student safety, beyond what the local police provide, then Marquette needs to make a decision.