When Gerard Schoenle took the reigns as UB's Chief of Police last July, he brought with him a few ideas on how to improve the University Police Department. One of those ideas is about to come to fruition.
This month will see the beginning of the Police Chief's Advisory Committee (CAC), a forum for communication between the Chief of Police and the student body.
Committee members are meant to represent the student body and address the campus safety and security concerns voiced by students. Members will include at least 15 members recommended by the Student Association, five members recommended by the Residential Life Student Association, five members selected by the Chief of Police, one on-duty Lieutenant from the UPD and one student employee from the UPD.
The committee will assist the UPD in strategic planning as well as product and service selection and deployment, Schoenle said. He hopes the committee will serve to build effective relationships between students and the UPD.
"This is an opportunity to really improve communication," Shoenle said. "It will give students input, a chance to speak to us in an informal setting."
The committee will meet on a regular schedule, at least twice each quarter. Other meetings requiring immediate student input to address specific issues may also be scheduled.
Students will be involved in many police decisions such as addressing lighting problems in particular areas on campus, deciding where to put four new safety crosswalk devices or selecting vendors for new technology, such as placing mobile computers in patrol cars.
"Anytime there is an inclusion of students in decision-making, it's a good thing," said Pamela Stephens-Jackson, assistant director for Greek Affairs. "You might be working on something you think is a problem, that students don't feel is a problem. It's difficult for administrators to try to assess what are problems, what are student priorities, and how to go about them."
Schoenle said that the advisory board would assist officers and the university in addressing problems and priorities with increased efficiency.
"This is a form of community policing - working with a community to give them the kind of policing they want, need and deserve," Schoenle said.
"Community policing" marks a change in style from an older, reactive "Rapid-Response Model" to a more proactive, community-centered method.
"You would go to a call, do what you can, then go to the next call," Schoenle said. "Community policing tries to take a more problem-solving approach to keep the calls from coming back again."
Schoenle said that the new system is designed to prevent problems rather than just react to them. This kind of advisory board is common for municipalities but, as of yet, few college campuses have them.
"It's really not anything hard and fast. It intends to include anybody that wants to participate," Schoenle said. "I'm hoping that if there are any groups that would like to be represented, that they would contact me."
A preliminary meeting for the CAC will take place this Thursday, Feb. 15. Students interested in participating are encouraged to apply to Chief Schoenle at gws3@buffalo.edu.
"This is something the students have to want. If no one shows up then it won't work. The students have to have an interest to do it," he said.
