University of Virginia Library

Can't Be Everywhere

We drive up Alderman road towards University Hall, and we're
back on the subject of rape. What effect do these cases have on
the Department's morale? is my next question. He's blunt this
time, "It doesn't help." And he continues in a tone that indicates
that it does hurt: "The guys don't say anything." And we both
know that he means they think and feel it: but just don't say
anything.

"But actually," he goes on, offering an explanation for their
position," with these rape cases, it's a tough thing. What can I do?
I'm here checking out University Hall, and say another guy is
covering an accident somewhere, and some guy grabs a girl at the
dorms. We can't be everywhere, there's just so much area to
cover. But if we get more preventive patrol out here, outsiders
and even students would say, 'man you don't know when the
fuzz are going to come by'. Then there would be less desire to do
that kind of thing on the Grounds."

Although he feels there should be more preventive patrol,
Officer Bunch doesn't feel this would harass the students. "One
thing about the men [Security force] up here, is they are very
lenient on the students. When students say they're picking on
them, they're wrong. The students need to be involved more with
other Departments. Most police forces are not nearly as easy as
we are up here. In other places you get wrote up and that's it.
Most of the officers here think a lot of the University," he
continues, "but they want these Mickey Mouse things we have to
do done away with, so we can do our job effectively."

At about 8:00 we get a call over the dispatcher, for a disorder
at the Emergency Room of the Hospital. There we encountered
the subject later charged with being drunk in public. Though