Editing Sworn Officer Initiative

Campus Safety officers may become sworn police officers if the [[Board of Trustees]] passes votes in favor of an initiative presented by many members of the administration, including [[John Schlaf]], [[Roger Taylor]] and [[Tom Axtell]].<ref>Sept. 20, 2007 issue of ''[[The Knox Student]]''</ref>

==Pro==
The conversation that gave birth to the initiative began over the summer of '07. The proposal should give [[Campus Safety]] access to police department information sharing and training. It may also open the department up to the possibility of state funding.

"I believe that any opportunity to receive training and education for anyone involved in public or campus safety issue is not an opportunity that can be missed," said Schlaf.<ref>Sept. 20, 2007 issue of ''[[The Knox Student]]''</ref>

Some students were not concerned about the initiative because they trust the members of the department ([[John Schlaf]] and [[Mack Glass]]) who are to be sworn in.

"I know I can trust him," said senior Narissa Montes of [[Mack Glass|Glass]]. "He has this innate sense of looking out for people."<ref>Sept. 20, 2007 issue of ''[[The Knox Student]]''</ref>

==Con==
Many students expressed distress at the notion of swearing in officers.

"The deputization of Campus Safety officers would result in a cultural change on campus from officers protecting students to policing them," said [[Student Senate]] Safety and Services Chair [[Kelli Refer]]<ref>Sept. 20, 2007 issue of ''[[The Knox Student]]''</ref>

An editorial in ''[[The Knox Student|TKS]]'' pointed out that the [[Galesburg]] Public Safety Building is one block away from campus. The same editorial also made the point that students may be more intimidated of calling [[Campus Safety]] in times of need if they feel the department is more powerful than it currently is. This is especially important in the case of [[alcohol poisoning]], in which other students may be drunk and liable for punishment by the [[Office of Student Development]] as it is.<ref>Sept. 20, 2007 issue of ''[[The Knox Student]]''</ref>

==Student voice==
This debate sparked a more deep-seeded debate over the strength of the student voice on campus. A Sept. 20 editorial in ''[[The Knox Student|TKS]]'' that was critical of the initiative ended by saying, "The Board of Trustees may have the final say according to the Private College Camus Police Act in Illinois state law, but the students will demand that power here at [[Knox]]."<ref>Sept. 20, 2007 issue of ''[[The Knox Student]]''</ref>

After some students experienced building frustration that the administration was not listening to their opinions on the issue and that the [[Student Senate]] meeting Sept. 27 did not accurately represent the student body, an independent student forum was held Oct. 3 in [[Kresge Recital Hall]]. Students expressed frustrations that communication between the decision makers and the student body was not sufficient. Others were upset that neither [[Student Senate]] nor any other student body had any official say in the decision.

==The "compromise"==
[[Student Senate]] President [[Brad Middleton]] proposed a compromise to the initiative that would have [[John Schlaf]] sworn in, but not [[Mack Glass]]. This would alleviate the potential for a sworn officer to be on patrol, since [[John Schlaf|Schlaf]] does most his work behind his desk, anyway. College President [[Roger Taylor]] agreed to this compromise and told the student body, via e-mail, that he would present it to the [[Board of Trustees]] in place of the original initiative.

However, many students were not comfortable with the compromise because they do not feel it is an even deal, as it still gives the department everything they wanted except for one extra officer.