UB campus police become state-accredited

The campus police department here at UB recently became the first police force in the entire SUNY system to become accredited by the New York State Division of Criminal Justice Services. This was a process that took over two years and involved a complete revitalization of department policies and procedures.

The editorial board applauds the department for undergoing the process, as the news of the accreditation will increase the respect that students show for campus police officers and the jobs they perform.

However false it may be, the stigma that campus police officers are not as highly qualified or trained as traditional police officers is all too prevalent on campus, and the state accreditation will combat that sentiment. Now, the officers themselves must show that the accreditation is more than just a label or formality and show results.

Last year, campus police responded very well to the gunman scare in Lockwood Library by evacuating, patrolling and searching the building quickly and efficiently. That incident assured students that the department is fully capable of dealing with large-scale problems.

Another policy that chief of University Police Gerald Schoenle has implemented recently is cooperation with the Buffalo Police Department. Campus police officers have been patrolling Main Street near South Campus on bicycles, and lights, emergency phones and security cameras have been installed in the area.

The presence in the University Heights and the relationship with Buffalo Police officers are things that might need to be revisited, however. University Police should have extended jurisdiction to regulate the activities of students living in University Heights, because the city police officers have not done an adequate job.

Both students and permanent residents have had problems with the way Buffalo Police has responded to complaints about loud and disruptive parties and underage drinking. Many have accused the police of not taking the complaints seriously and not arriving in a timely manner.

Additionally, UB students who have witnessed the police "break up" these parties, have claimed that in certain cases officers confiscated and consumed alcohol, flirted with girls who may have been underage, and generally acted irresponsibly.

Now that the campus police have been state-accredited, they should be able to take an expanded role in University Heights. After all, at a university where a large percentage of students live off-campus, the campus police can never fully protect them all – even if they are state-accredited – without leaving UB property.

The University Heights neighborhood is right next to South Campus and is home to many UB students, so more campus police in the area might be an experiment worth trying out.