Case challenges U. Police jurisdiction

A judge said evidence from an off-campus arrest could not be used. In the early morning hours of May 10, 1997, University Police stopped a car on the 3900 block of Chestnut Street and arrested its three male occupants for allegedly robbing a woman at gunpoint a few blocks away. Almost 1 1/2 years later, attorneys for the suspects are arguing that the Penn officers did not have the legal jurisdiction to pull the car over because the block was not part of the University's "premises." Philadelphia Common Pleas Judge Ricardo Jackson agreed with that argument, suppressing all evidence obtained by the officers in a September 3 decision, according to Richard Brown Jr., attorney for suspect Lewis Cephus. At a hearing today, Assistant District Attorney Robin Bush is expected to explain how the prosecution will proceed in reaction to Jackson's ruling. "We believe the court's decision to suppress evidence gathered by [Penn] officers was in error," said University spokesperson Ken Wildes. "It contradicts existing law that defines the off-campus jurisdictions of campus police officers." University Police, whose authority comes from state law, count their jurisdiction as ranging from Market Street to Baltimore Avenue and the Schuylkill River to 43rd Street. The area includes the 3900 block of Chestnut Street. "[The ruling] could impair the effectiveness of the highly-trained and dedicated men and women who are sworn to serve and protect our community in their work with municipal law-enforcement agencies," Wildes said, explaining the need for the University to make arrests that are not directly on University property. Bush did not respond to several telephone messages left over the past week. Bill Davol, a spokesperson for the District Attorney's office, said the office cannot comment on the proceedings. Jackson's clerk said the judge would not comment on the case because of its ongoing status. This is not the only recent case to question the jurisdiction of the University Police. The Schoepe family, which owns a game room and laundry at 40th and Spruce streets, sued Penn and the City of Philadelphia in May 1997, accusing them of illegally shutting down the businesses that month. Among the Schoepes' contentions is that Penn Police are not allowed to patrol private property not belonging to the University. That case has not gone to trial yet.