Campus police layoffs
Tempest Staff
December 28, 2011
Filed under Letter to editor
I just read the piece in the Tempest about laying off the college police.This scares the devil out of me as I have grandkids ready to go to a community college and I for one will do what I can to keep them OUT of any college without the sworn police force.
I’m a 17-year retired/veteran of the SCC police force. Spent a few years also with the Solano Sheriff’s reserves prior to SCC. The campus police are very well trained and MUST complete POST training every year. Special training just for campus police is a must. I’m sure the Chief of police will give you a list of the training the officers have and required to have to even work there. Security guards will not have this training if any at all. The safety of the staff and students is at RISK if there is no police there. A very high risk.
Keep in mind that even if the college security falls under the Sheriffs office it may not be much help.They are understaffed somewhat. There are 3 sheriffs beats in the county. North,South and Central beats. SCC is in the central beat. Many times deputies have to assist officers from the other beats and would have a long extended response time to SCC. Many times the sheriffs office would call the SCC police to assist them in the area close to the college. Many reports on file show this. Plus the cost would be great. This was thought about some years ago and was dropped.
Please remember there is crime on campus but without law enforcement there on duty it would run wild. You have gangs on campus but they have not caused much of a problem on campus mainly due to the campus police on duty. I know this as a former member of the Solano County Gang Task Force. Read the newspapers about the trouble at other colleges. Being a community college does not mean huge problems can not occur at SCC. It can and has.
Ask the students if they want to come to a college with no law enforcement. Student/staff safety MUST come first. The police Department is not that big to where it will save much money if closed.
GARY MCPHERSON [cretegary@yahoo.com]
Sorry to be so long winded but this worries me to no end.
