University of Virginia Library

Council Criticizes
University Security

By Ann Brown
Cavalier Daily Staff Writer

The presence of a "group of armed
men parading around" was labelled
inconsistent with the "supposedly
Jeffersonian Community" of the
University by Student Council members
in a meeting Tuesday night with Wade
Bromwell, Director of Security.

Larry Williams, Council representative,
said, "It seems to me that there's more
animosity between students and Security
officers than there has ever been here
before."

Willie Ivey, another Council member,
asked Mr. Bromwell what was being done
to improve relations between the security
force and black students. Mr. Ivey
deplored what he called the fact that "we
don't deal with a problem until a crisis arises."
He stated that the Department of Security
"keeps hiring men who can't relate with
students;" but that "a crisis is going to arise and
it's probably going to come from black
students."

Mr. Bromwell told the Council that the
Security Department has been meeting with the
Consultative Resources Office to discuss
relations with black students. In the training
program for new officers, he added that there
are "sessions on minority groups." He
remarked, "We are looking at this and trying to
come up with some answers."

New Officer Qualifications

In response to Mr. Ivey's inquiry about
qualifications used in hiring new officers, Mr.
Bromwell said the requirements are that an
individual be between the ages of 21 and 40
and physically fit and that he hold at least a
high school diploma. He added that some
retired military men who are over 40 are hired
because they are well-trained and receive
retirement benefits in addition to their Security
force pay.

Mr. Bromwell answered criticism of the
image presented by his men with this
statement: "We have an image which is going to
be attacked whether we're at fault or not."
Councilman Monty Harris criticized Security
Officers for what he called their
"swashbuckling attitude" which made them
appear as though they were "ready for attack."
Mr. Harris added that when he looked around
he saw not a crisis situation but rather
tranquil, peaceful community."

Complaints Of Uniforms

In answer to complaints about their current
uniforms, Mr. Bromwell commented, "If you're
going to have an officer in charge of any
eventuality, he must be recognizable to those
both in and out of the University Community."
But he added that the department is "aware of
the problem of image."

Council member Jim Bradshaw asked why
University police carry weapons. Mr. Bromwell
replied, "If they are policemen and are charged
with upholding the law in the area, then they
should be provided with the tools of the trade."
He added that the guns "are a protective device
for the individual...We don't know what we'll
be faced with on the Grounds of the
University."

Mr. Harris commented on Mr. Bromwell's
statements in saying, "That's assuming that you
have the same situations on a University
campus as you have in a metropolitan area."

Mr. Bromwell was asked why Rea Houchens,
Chief of Security had been present at a recent
drug bust conducted by the Charlottesville city
police. He said, "If an incident involves
students, we like to be present... Many times,