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.[1]
Contents
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.[2]
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 Glass. "He has this innate sense of looking out for people."[3]
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[4]
An editorial in 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.[5]
Student voice
This debate sparked a more deep-seeded debate over the strength of the student voice on campus. A Sept. 20 editorial in 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."[6]
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 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.
- ↑ Sept. 20, 2007 issue of The Knox Student
- ↑ Sept. 20, 2007 issue of The Knox Student
- ↑ Sept. 20, 2007 issue of The Knox Student
- ↑ Sept. 20, 2007 issue of The Knox Student
- ↑ Sept. 20, 2007 issue of The Knox Student
- ↑ Sept. 20, 2007 issue of The Knox Student
