EDITORIAL: Standing still on safety

The strategic plan for publicThe strategic plan for publicsafety released this week is aThe strategic plan for publicsafety released this week is agood strat, but it lacks concreteThe strategic plan for publicsafety released this week is agood strat, but it lacks concretesteps and a timetable for theThe strategic plan for publicsafety released this week is agood strat, but it lacks concretesteps and a timetable for theresulution of chronic campusThe strategic plan for publicsafety released this week is agood strat, but it lacks concretesteps and a timetable for theresulution of chronic campussecurity issues.The strategic plan for publicsafety released this week is agood strat, but it lacks concretesteps and a timetable for theresulution of chronic campussecurity issues.__________________________________ Seamon's plan was to be the definitive guide to bolstering security on and near campus, charting a course for improvement from now into the next century. But instead of outlining specific courses of action -- like purchases of new technology, upgrades to existing services and programs and the creation of expanded cooperative circles with other law enforcement agencies and community groups -- Seamon's new plan offers only broad goals and the most general of strategies for their achievement. We're pleased that University administrators recognized the continuing importance of addressing safety concerns among students, faculty and staff on this campus -- in fact, we're glad to see long-term planning in progress on issues of magnitude like security. But we hope this plan isn't the final word from University Police on improving the quality of life in West Philadelphia. While Seamon's plan is ambitious in its efforts to bring together organs of government and community groups to realize the common goal of reducing crime, it concentrates too much on talking about this complicated issue and too little on acting to change the current situation. To be a true strategy for addressing crime at and around the University into the 21st century, the plan needs a definite timetable for implementation, even if that timetable is gradual and organized around incremental phases. It needs a prioritized list of projects the department of public safety would like to undertake, based on considerations of necessity and cost-benefit ratio. Finally, the plan needs step-by-step outlines of courses of action, developed with the suggestions of students and community members in mind.