University of Virginia Library

Question Of Identity

Chief among the concerns
voiced in the discussions
appeared to be a questioning of
their identity, of what the true
role of the police officer on a
college campus is. The
complaints and fears voiced by
police representatives from
nine other schools differed
little from the same concerns
of the University's own police
officers. Many objected that
they felt more like security
guards–"door shakers"–than
police officers, due to the
heavy load of non-police
responsibilities the various
campus police agencies are
saddled with.

Other officers complained
that they were getting no
support from the school
administration, that there was
a conflict between police
procedures and college policies.
Nearly all were in general
agreement that the schools
needed to define the role of
the campus police and then to
give the police authority
needed to fulfill its role.

"It's got to begin with the
administration," one
outspoken officer said. "With
the recognition of need. Do
they need police officers or
door openers?"

All the officers expressed a
desire to establish
professionalism within their
respective departments. Linked
with this would be more
education for campus police
officers, as well as freeing
police from minor
time-consuming duties so they
can perform as police, rather
than custodians or clerks.

The idea of working with
students was received
enthusiastically by many
officers as a way to improve
police-student relations. Other
Virginia schools have already
hired students to serve as
dispatchers and traffic patrols,
as the University Police Dept.
plans to do this fall