EDITORIAL: A Master Plan

Stationing Allied guardsStationing Allied guardsalong campus walks is anStationing Allied guardsalong campus walks is anexcellent idea which willStationing Allied guardsalong campus walks is anexcellent idea which willaugment the safety theStationing Allied guardsalong campus walks is anexcellent idea which willaugment the safety theUniversity provides studentsStationing Allied guardsalong campus walks is anexcellent idea which willaugment the safety theUniversity provides studentsand members of the community.Stationing Allied guardsalong campus walks is anexcellent idea which willaugment the safety theUniversity provides studentsand members of the community._____________________________ While the plan certainly created a police presence on campus, it outraged many officers who felt it limited their ability to protect the University community, especially off campus where most crime occurs. As part of University President Judith Rodin's new master security plan, these problems of the past are now gone. Beginning today, Allied guards will patrol central walkways on campus to augment the coverage provided by University Police officers. Allied guards will give the University a fixed presence on campus and provide more eyes and ears for ensuring safety -- a positive step to secure the campus. When students and staff walk home at night, more security officers will be watching out for their well being. We applaud this proactive step to reduce crime. But as the officials give Allied guards this increased responsibility, the University must not dismantle or reduce the size of the police force -- the presence of University Police officers must remain at its current status. The University must work with police officers who are apprehensive about this plan to clearly define the roles of both the new security force and the University Police. Kuprevich and his team must also be certain that these Allied guards are highly trained, because while they are out in the community, they will serve as representatives of our institution and must act accordingly. We applaud the efforts of Kuprevich and his staff, but also urge the University to keep a close watch over the security guards and keep the current police squad in tact so this plan can fulfill its vast potential.