Maureen Rush

These past few months have seen turbulent times across the country regarding race and law enforcement issues, as well as other social issues. I wanted to take a moment to tell each of you how very proud the Penn Police Command Staff and I are of you and your response to recent protests on and around campus.

This letter is in response to two recent articles published by the Daily Pennsylvanian (“Campus crime log disclosed minors’ identities,” 9/12/2013; “Names of arrestees not in campus crime log,” 9/27/2013) on the topic of the crime log published by the Division of Public Safety.

I want to commend the Philadelphia Police Department, and specifically the Homicide Task Force, that so expertly and expeditiously investigated and charged the alleged perpetrator of the horrific homicide of Dr. Melissa Ketunuti.

Policing and providing safety and security in an urban university environment like Penn is an ever challenging and difficult proposition. Much of the difficulty in understanding policing in the Penn patrol zone, which extends from 30th Street to 43rd Street, Market Street to Baltimore Avenue, lies in the fact that the Penn community is unaware of the depth and breadth of the portfolio of responsibilities falling under the University of Pennsylvania Police Department.