August 31, 2004
Purdue police engage community with 2 new programs
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. – The Purdue University Police Department is taking steps to incorporate more of a community policing approach in its campus efforts.
The department has instituted the Personal Patrol Project, in which each officer is focusing on developing relationships in one major campus building to increase safety and prevent crime. Also, for the first time, the department will offer the Citizens' Police Academy to give community members a firsthand look at the full range of the department's activities.
Chief Gary K. Evans said the programs are an attempt to increase the department's use of community policing, which focuses on building relationships.
"Traditionally, police have operated with the 'Dragnet,' just-the-facts-ma'am approach that keeps them fairly separate from the citizens they protect," said Evans, who became chief in March. "The Purdue Police Department, on the other hand, has always been service-oriented. As we move more toward community policing, we are building relationships with the people we serve and becoming a vital part of the community and its development, not just a reactionary force."
This school year, the department has started the Personal Patrol Project with 40 on-campus buildings – one for each officer – but Evans said he hopes the program will expand into each building on campus in coming years. Selected buildings include all residence halls and major academic and administrative buildings.
Each officer went through community policing training before the project and developed a comprehensive plan to integrate themselves and the police department into the buildings. These plans involved meeting and regularly interacting with key people in the buildings, such as administrators and building deputies, as well as activities such as buildingwide patrols and noting potential problem areas.
Evans said the goal is to create an atmosphere in which faculty, students and staff in the buildings feel more comfortable talking to the officers about concerns or potential problems they see.
"Citizens say they have a higher comfort level with police officers if they can get to know them as people," Evans said. "This is similar to officers who walk a beat in many cities. It is a way officers can become a part of the neighborhood of each campus building."
The police department also will invite students, faculty, staff and community members to join a Citizens' Police Academy to help bridge the gap between officers and citizens. Although many municipal police departments offer similar programs, this is the first academy for the Purdue Police Department.
Deputy Chief Steven R. Dietrich said the department had selected some student leaders and university officials and invited them to participate in the Citizens' Police Academy, but it is open to anyone. Registration in the free program is limited to 25 participants.
The Citizens' Police Academy will run from 6:30-9 p.m. each Tuesday from Sept. 14 to Dec. 7 at the police department headquarters, 205 S. Intramural Drive.
Dietrich said the goal of the academy is to help people understand not only the special needs of serving a student population and university campus, but also the breadth of activities that officers use to increase campus safety.
"We have a lot of expertise on this department in a wide range of law enforcement and prevention practices," Dietrich said. "We want to put our officers on stage where they can share their talents, skills and professionalism with the people they serve."
Topics covered will range from crime-scene investigation and firearms safety to polygraph tests and building searches. There also is a session that focuses on community policing.
"To be successful, campus law enforcement must be approached differently than other policing situations," Dietrich said. "There is a high degree of educating citizens, a high degree of customer service. We want people to understand what we do that is different than the perceptions they might have of law enforcement."
Anyone interested in participating in the Citizens' Police Academy should contact the police department at (765) 494-8221.
Writer: Matt Holsapple, (765) 494-2073, mholsapple@purdue.edu
Sources: Gary K. Evans, (765) 494-8221, gkevans@purdue.edu
Steven R. Dietrich, (765) 494-8221, srdietrich@purdue.edu
Purdue News Service: (765) 494-2096; purduenews@purdue.edu
Note to Journalists: Journalists are invited to attend three sessions of the Citizens' Police Academy. On Sept. 14 participants will learn background about law enforcement and the Purdue University Police Department and can take a tour of the facilities. On Sept. 28, the session will focus on crime scene investigation, with participants doing hands-on activities, including fingerprinting, evidence collection and crime scene photography. On Nov. 16, Tippecanoe County Prosecutor Jerry Bean will lead the class in a mock court, with class participants taking the roles of police officers, other witnesses and the jury. All sessions run from 6:30-9 p.m. and take place at the Purdue University Police Department, 205 S. Intramural Drive.
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