Not sure that this will have a huge effect. Kinda feel like offenses like underage drinking and drug possession will still have people sent to JBoard rather than jail. Biggest change would probably be arresting/harsher punishments for Townies who are obnoxious on big nights like Hallowgreens.
Photo blatantly stolen from a newspaper that literally costs thousand of dollars a year to run
SMCM Student Bill Sokolove comments that
"Usually, things like this come out in all-student emails, and I'm wondering why that didn't happen, why we had to find out from an inside story in The Point News. The vagary is sketchy, and so is the policy. We need a dialogue between students and the admin."
Which is a fair point. Feel like this is going to raise a lot of PANIC and there could have been some actual discussion with students regarding this since it is a fairly important thing and affects a lot of students. One positive is that they still won't have guns. Some of yall may remember a certain potential Student Trustee who liked the idea of arming PS. Still not really sure why but w/e.
Just kinda feel like it would be cool if they told us why make this change. There is obviously a reason, and not explaining that makes people feel like children or something. Zylak mentions that students should be arrested if they put their hands on a PS officer, do yall agree? What else is in that 1% of cases that should lead to arrest in Zylak and Bayless's opinion?
also, brooks carries a firearm. who knew - via the newspaper story
ReplyDeleteIf true, it would be a totally unnecessary move at a school of 2,000 people. I personally feel like this would just be another way for PS to abuse their power.
ReplyDeleteagreed. does anyone else agree that they seem to have little accountability?
ReplyDeleteThey posted a correction: apparently he doesn't. Re Anonymous III: They have NO accountability. Something needs to be done. Judicial Affairs and PS are smoked filled rooms.
ReplyDeleteSgt. Brook does NOT carry a firearm. He has the certification to carry one but not only does he not, he will not carry one at any point in the future. My mistake.
ReplyDeletePS is getting the power of arrest so that they are better able to deal with townies who come in and destroy stuff. Right now the best PS can do is not allow them on campus again. The power of arrest is not going to be exercised against students unless the students do something horrible or try to hit an officer.
ReplyDeleteHow do we know that? We can not give authority the benefit of the doubt.
ReplyDeleteI'd like to be a fly on the wall when students do what they do on campus out in the real world and some real cops show up. PS lets you guys get away with MURDER. You have no idea how lucky you have it.
ReplyDeletefuck off anonymous 12:29, this is COLLEGE. Are we supposed to be thankful that we don't get arrested for smoking weed? What exactly do smcm students get away with that is so awful?
ReplyDeleteThere definitely needs to be more dialogue between the school and the student body on this sudden an unexpected change. If it keeps sm county police from harassing students at the point though, I'm all for it.
12:29 Anon, don't be so condescending. Just because many students don't want their small college with a low rate of crime (especially violent) to have a constant police presence on campus doesn't automatically make them criminals who are trying to get with MURDER. We're not all naive little shits who haven't a clue what the "real world" is like, which you seem to assume.
ReplyDeleteWord up. The bitchy anonymous is a bitch
ReplyDelete12:29 is just another unfulfilled "grown up" who feels the need to talk down to younger people as a coping mechanism for the fact that his/her own youth is over
ReplyDeleteLook at when @12:29 is posting, prime time for office job bros to be checking out this sort of blogging bloggery blog
ReplyDeleteReally?
ReplyDeleteA change in any enforcement authority usually elicits strong discussion so in regard to the conversation about the Special Police Commissions that SMCM is pursuing for our Public Safety officers I would like to share some information.
ReplyDeleteThe Special Police Commissions will convey the authority to SMCM Public Safety Officers to arrest individuals for trespassing or for committing offenses under the Maryland Law while on the property of the college, Church Point and Historic St. Mary’s City since the college has assumed an obligation to maintain and protect these areas. In addition, the Commissions give our officers the authority to direct and control traffic on public highways (Rt. 5) and roads in the immediate vicinity of the college.
For example, a trespass by a non-student that would now be turned over to the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office will be handled by the SMCM Public Safety office instead.
The SMCM student body should not see any significant change in the enforcement of the college policies and it is expected that 99.9% of all violations will still be handled by the campus judicial boards.
Serious Part 1 crimes (robbery, rape, murder) will continue to be handled in accordance with the Memorandum of Understanding between the college and the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office.
This is a positive change for the campus and I invite you to contact me should you have questions or concerns about the Special Police Commissions program.
Dave Zylak
Director, Public Safety
240-895-4911
Hey guys, let's keep this respectful. You're great for having an opinion, but keep in mind it's important to respect everyone else's.
ReplyDeleteAlso, in the name of clarification, there is currently a national search going on for a permanent Director of Public Safety. If you all have any questions about specific policies and/or PS mission, all that information is on the Public Safety website. www.smcm.edu/publicsafety.
Actually, yes, you should be thankful you're not getting arrested for smoking weed. It's illegal, in case you hadn't heard. I don't think there's anything wrong with it myself, but as long as it's illegal, if you're getting away with it you're just plain lucky that you aren't being more aggressively pursued. Try doing some of the things you do out in the real world and it won't be a PS officer showing up and giving you a break, it'll be a sheriff giving you a citation or arresting you. Enjoy it while you can, and appreciate PS for what they do!
ReplyDeleteI think it's bullshit that I hail from St. Mary's County and that I'm classified as a troublesome "townie" by the unreasonably-liberal (socially, not politically, before anyone bitches about it) student body of St. Mary's. Also, the other anonymous is right... in the real world and at many other colleges you get arrested for toking in public or being drunk. Be thankful you guys have a PS department.
ReplyDeleteYour not classified as a troublesome "townie," 11:38 anon; only the one's who are actually trouble troublesome acquire that title.
ReplyDelete