Officers bond on beat
Lauren Robinson-Brown
You've heard him warning students to lock their doors and windows. You've seen him in a uniform on his police bike. And soon, you may find yourself engaged in dinner conversation with Proctor Kenneth Samuel or one of the five other public safety proctors and officers who are the first volunteers in a new University community policing effort.
"A lot of students arrive on campus and look at the police as authority. But when they see us out on campus, having dinner with them, getting to know them, it makes them feel more at ease," said Samuel, who has worked in Princeton's Department of Public Safety for more than 30 years. "We want to meet the students and find out what their needs are. Then, if they have a problem, they'll talk to us."
"Adopt a PUPS (Princeton University Public Safety)" is one of two new programs launched by Director Jerrold Witsil this year to help keep the campus safe and secure.
It places volunteer proctors and officers in contained settings that are conducive to informal bonding. Samuel, who is assigned to the Graduate College, said he already has started developing good relationships and thinks the approach is much better than a similar program attempted about a decade ago. The five other volunteers have been assigned to undergraduate residential colleges: John Barbour at Forbes, Alvan Flanders at Butler, Duncan Harrison at Mathey, David Tricoche at Rockefeller and James Lanzi at Wilson.
"When a student picks up a Facebook, they're going to see a proctor or officer in there," Witsil said. "They'll see them in the halls, on an informal basisthey'll invite them over and then it will work."
The prototype program failed because the officers were injected into the buildings without being invited and it was intrusive, Witsil said. He said he revamped the program and garnered support from residential college and student leaders after an incident prompted a series of discussions last spring. The incident involved a minority student who was carrying a fake, prop gun that was mistaken as real and reported to police.
"We were talking about some issues of relationships," Witsil said of one meeting with students and administrators. "I talked about the program and how it didn't succeed and there was interest in reviving it."
Other activities that help more public safety personnel interact with students are also in the works and, Witsil said, he is receptive to expanding the program to more campus groups, as long as he has the volunteers and resources.
While the community policing program responds to student concerns, Witsil launched another as a proactive safety measure.
The Rape Aggression Defense System is a hands-on, self-defense training workshop for women, in partnership with the Sexual Harassment/Assault/Advising, Resources and Education office at the McCosh Health Center. Witsil described the program as an attempt to "be ahead of the game by providing this kind of self-confidence, self-defense training" while the number of violent crime incidents on campus remains low. "We don't want people to come to us out of fear. We'd rather have people come out of interest."
Sgt. Michael Septer, who will run the program, was trained in Virginia over the summer and expects to offer sessions next month in partnership with the West Windsor Police Department. Witsil noted that while the topic is serious, the classes are engaging and involve role playing.
"The instructors actually put on protective gear. It's a hands-on, reality-based kind of program," Witsil said. "It teaches both what to do if you're in a bad situation and it teaches you how to be proactive and avoid such situations."
While the number of sex offenses on campus remains low, such programs help reinforce the need for preparedness, officials said. Sometimes, being too comfortable creates opportunities for criminals.
"The low crime rate tends to bring out complacency and that is the enemy," said Barry Weiser, the crime prevention specialist who is charged with disseminating mandated information to faculty, staff and students. Federal law -- the Campus Security or Clery Act -- requires universities and colleges to provide crime statistics and other information, such as what to do in an emergency and the availability of shuttles, escorts and emergency phones. Failure to comply could result in fines and the loss of federal grants and aid.
This year, the law allows the University to comply through a variety of methods including providing information through electronic mail and Web sites. Witsil said Princeton's statistics should not cause alarm because the number of incidents is usually much lower than that of other similar schools.
"While we do have a few sexual assaults each year, and those typically involve acquaintances, we seldom have other violent crimes. We have some incidents of theft, burglary and a car theft now and then," Witsil said. "The news we send out is not bad."
Still, Ken Samuel uses every opportunity to remind students to lock their doors (and windows if on the ground floor), not to prop doors open, to walk in well-lighted areas and report suspicious behavior. "These new programs help us get the message out without scaring people. We do have a great department, but we can't do it ."
Notice: In accordance with federal law, crime statistics and compliance information regarding the Campus Security Act have been posted on <http://webware.princeton.EDU/PUBSAF>. The Department of Public Safety also is distributing this information through brochures and electronic mail. Alternatively, any current or prospective student or employee may obtain a hard copy by calling 258-5771. Here are the crime statistics for the past three years:
Princeton University Crime Statistics
Offense 1997 1998 1999 Murder 0 0 0 Sex offense (forcible)1 2 0 1 Sex offense (nonforcible) 0 0 0 Robbery2 0 1 2 Aggravated assault3 6 2 2 Burglary4 42 46 58 Auto theft5 4 5 4 Manslaughter 0 0 0 Arson 0 0 0 Hate/bias crime 0 0 0 Drug arrest na 2 8 Referred possible discipline, violation Drug
Policy na 1 (Oct-) 12 Alcohol arrest6 na 0 2 Referred possible discipline, violation Alcohol
Policy7 na 91 133 Weapons violations 0 0 0
1. The one 1999 reported incident
occurred in a domitory. Investigation led to arrest. Four
incidents of sex offenses on campus and one off campus were
reported to other University officials in 1999. These
incidents were not reported to public safety and therefore
not investigated by the department.
2. One 1999 incident occurred off campus at a local bank and
did not involve the University.
3. Two 1998 incidents and one 1999 incident occurred outside
of dormitories.
4. 29 incidents in 1998 and 34 incidents in 1999 occurred in
dormitory areas.
5. Two 1998 and two 1999 incidents occurred outside of
dormitories.
6. Both of the 1999 incidents occurred off campus.
7. 79 incidents in 1998 and 111 incidents in 1999 occurred
in dormitory areas.
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September 25, 2000 Contents • Message
in a bottle • Officers
bond on beat (& crime stats) • Versatility
is key for organist • Faculty, staff invited to explore instant classics • Renovated
theater debuts
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