Community lauds new police HQ

Residents approve of the new facility's location and are glad Public Safety is in one building. Last Wednesday's gala opening of the new Division of Public Safety headquarters celebrated more than the construction of a high-tech, multi-million dollar facility, as speakers and guests alike stressed that the building symbolizes the University's commitment to its "neighbors" in University City. "This location was not accidental," Executive Vice President John Fry said Wednesday of the headquarters' off-campus location on the 4000 block of Chestnut Street, about three blocks from the old headquarters, a townhouse at 3914 Locust Walk. The new location brings police, Spectaguard security guards, administrative services and Special Services -- which were housed in four separate locations just a year ago -- all under one roof. The theme of "community commitment" showed up in the speeches as well as in the guest list -- which included a multitude of community members, many of whom praised the relocation of the facility. Still, Undergraduate Assembly Chairperson Noah Bilenker said he was skeptical of the move off campus. "I'm still not completely sold," the College junior said. "It is the University Police." The relocation does not change the University Police Department's jurisdiction, deployment or services. The police will still patrol from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and the Schuylkill River to 43rd Street. But walk by the renovated former warehouse on Chestnut, and it's clear why Director of Police Operations Maureen Rush called it "a visible deterrent to crime." Adorning the building are 3-foot high red letters spelling "POLICE" that illuminate at night. Wednesday, Philadelphia Police Commissioner Richard Neal was effusive in his praise of the move off campus, stressing that the building's new location would improve security throughout West Philadelphia. "[The move is] one more example of how we're trying to develop even greater links," Neal said. "We want folks in the community to get to know the Penn Police." Although University City residents have in the past denounced the presence of the University Police for giving the area a deceptively dangerous image, many community members last week supported the move as one that would deter crime around the periphery of campus. History Department Chairperson Lynn Lees, a longtime West Philadelphia resident who is active in neighborhood issues, said the move was "an extremely sensible thing to do." "The areas where there's been the greatest amount of street crime have been on the fringes of campus," she said. "[The move] should reassure students and the community living in those areas." Spruce Hill Community Association President Joe Ruane said he didn't consider the new location to really be "off-campus" because of its proximity to Penn. But he received "positive feedback from community members" on the building's consolidation of the University's security services. Ruane added that he thought the relocation would mainly help retail development on the 40th Street corridor, as well as the area around 40th and Chestnut streets. And Cynthia Preston, a member of a local town-watch group, lauded the move. But she was reluctant to call it a gesture of goodwill. "Penn is a business," Preston said. "It's not really what the community wants. It's what Penn wants. You have to deal with your surroundings." Preston added that the University Police should expand their jurisdiction further west to improve security throughout the area.