GUEST COLUMNIST: U. Police should protect students

Laurie Smith, Guest Columnist Laurie Smith, Guest ColumnistI was appalled, embarrassed and ashamed to read of the incident where a Penn student was violently beaten by members of several area police forces, possibly including members of the University Police. As a graduate of the College of Arts and Sciences, I have always been so proud of Penn. I have many fond memories of campus: friends, parties, inspiring classes, writing a column for The Daily Pennsylvanian? I cannot imagine how students feel today as they walk around campus. Not only do they have to worry about living in an unsafe neighborhood, they also have to worry about whether the campus police will beat them so badly they get a concussion and land in the hospital, or at the very least witness such a beating -- just because they're in the wrong place at the wrong time. That's what happened to Bill Sofield -- he was a college freshman just hanging out on campus, his second month at Penn. Let there be no mistake about it. Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge James Deleon ruled beyond reasonable doubt that Sofield committed no crime. He was and is innocent. The police had no right to arrest him. So, if Sofield did nothing wrong, then why did the police have so little restraint and respect when they beat him up in front of a room full of his friends? It's human nature to come up with all the reasons why Sofield may have been violently beaten by police officers, because if you can find those reasons, you may believe it couldn't happen to you. Even DP reporters continue, again and again, to bring up hearsay from police. Perhaps you're thinking, "It won't happen to me because the police said?." Unfortunately, reporters, the judge found that the police version of events did not constitute a crime. Reporters have an obligation to cover the facts. Sofield had no right to be arrested. This was proven in court. The police beat a college freshman in front of witnesses -- the very students they are being paid to protect. That is a fact. As an alumna, I am very, very angry. And embarrassed. Embarrassed that the University administration has made no move to apologize, explain or reform the campus police. Administrators heard what happened from students. But, they didn't listen. Although they initiated an internal investigation, they didn't apologize to Sofield and those who witnessed this horrible event when it happened, and they still haven't. Instead, Penn is investing money in new police facilities instead of reform and education. I am embarrassed that an offense this serious was committed by my school. I am finding it much more difficult to be proud of Penn. If I were a student at the University right now, I would be even angrier. In fact, I would be furious. Penn has a commitment to keep students safe. Each is paying for all the services they receive on campus: the classes, the administration, food in the dining hall and Public Safety. Are the campus police doing their job -- which your tuition dollars and our alumni donations are paying for: protecting students? If this case is any indication, the answer may be "no." The tuition you and your parents pay buys you a service. You are the customers here. And if I were you, I would demand a little customer service. I would demand that the officers who committed these crimes against innocent Bill Sofield be suspended. I would demand that University officials make a formal apology to you, their customers, Sofield and his family for the actions of University Police that night. And I would demand that every officer who patrols campus be required to undergo psychological testing and educational training. The hiring of 20 new University Police officers is not good news unless those officers are trained and psychologically stable enough to handle situations in a student setting. The money that just bought exercise facilities for the officers should instead go toward educating them to protect students and improving the way they handle situations with students in the future. Each and every one of you deserves to feel proud of the school you have chosen. You should also feel confident that the men and women who are being paid to protect you are doing their job. You deserve to feel safe from violence on the streets and from violence by campus police. But unless you demand an explanation from the school and reform in the police department, the ugly truth is that what happened to Bill Sofield could happen to you.