The issue: PUC Police Department
Our opinion: Minimal compliance is unacceptable
An investigation that The Chronicle had conducted over the last three months has put the PUC University Police in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. They've violated laws such as the Clery Act, while hiding access to public information that shouldn't be "hush, hush."
What is the University Police hiding? The best way to do business is to be open and let everyone know what is going on. The police department, funded by the students and employees, should be given access to all.
The Clery Act requires campus police to issue warnings of threats on campus, an annual crime report and a continuously updated, daily crime available to the public.
PUC Chief Stephen Chaddock, along with admistrators, needs to change policies regarding communication and abide by the laws that are set in place.
If the problem is simply a "lack of communication," well then that change needs to take effect immediately. Excuses are not acceptable when students are turning their homework in late or are not acceptable when not being prepared for a exam, and the University Police's excuses are not acceptable as well.
The University Police directs all questions about criminal activity to Wes Lukoshus, vice chancellor for university relations, knowing full well he isn't aware of all things that happen inside the police station. The diversion is just passing someone's problems on to the next person.
The information given to The Chronicle about each criminal activity is so vague that it is humorous. One or two word explanations labeling each incident is not tolerable. Stolen property can mean a car was stolen or a person's deck of playing cards could be stolen. The more information we get on these criminal activities the better, and will only help the university community in the long run.
PUC University Police should be in accordance to the same rules and laws set in place that any city's police department have set in place, which requires police to release an arrested individual's name, address and age, the reason for the arrest, where the individual is jailed ant the officers involved in the arrest.
The PUC University Police are in violation of multiple laws and their entire philosophy of public access needs to be addressed and changed.
Our opinion: Minimal compliance is unacceptable
An investigation that The Chronicle had conducted over the last three months has put the PUC University Police in the spotlight for all the wrong reasons. They've violated laws such as the Clery Act, while hiding access to public information that shouldn't be "hush, hush."
What is the University Police hiding? The best way to do business is to be open and let everyone know what is going on. The police department, funded by the students and employees, should be given access to all.
The Clery Act requires campus police to issue warnings of threats on campus, an annual crime report and a continuously updated, daily crime available to the public.
PUC Chief Stephen Chaddock, along with admistrators, needs to change policies regarding communication and abide by the laws that are set in place.
If the problem is simply a "lack of communication," well then that change needs to take effect immediately. Excuses are not acceptable when students are turning their homework in late or are not acceptable when not being prepared for a exam, and the University Police's excuses are not acceptable as well.
The University Police directs all questions about criminal activity to Wes Lukoshus, vice chancellor for university relations, knowing full well he isn't aware of all things that happen inside the police station. The diversion is just passing someone's problems on to the next person.
The information given to The Chronicle about each criminal activity is so vague that it is humorous. One or two word explanations labeling each incident is not tolerable. Stolen property can mean a car was stolen or a person's deck of playing cards could be stolen. The more information we get on these criminal activities the better, and will only help the university community in the long run.
PUC University Police should be in accordance to the same rules and laws set in place that any city's police department have set in place, which requires police to release an arrested individual's name, address and age, the reason for the arrest, where the individual is jailed ant the officers involved in the arrest.
The PUC University Police are in violation of multiple laws and their entire philosophy of public access needs to be addressed and changed.
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