Public Safety visits senate to improve student body relations
Jo Beck '11
Issue date: 10/24/07 Section: News
Due to the recent discussion by students of poor Public Safety-student relations, the newly hired Community Relations Officer John Melkonian attended the senate meeting on the .
Melkonian's main assertion was that communication with the student body was essential to improving relations. Some students agreed and offered ideas about how Public Safety might go about fostering this relationship.
Other students took a more confrontational approach, suggesting that there were several aspects of Public Safety's role on campus that degraded the quality of life.
Senator Ian Lyons '10 and Vice President Georgina Canaan '09 both recounted the same student complaint: that Public Safety conducts rude and unlawful searches on private property, demanding that students open their bags without probable cause.
"If I heard the clinking of 30 Bud Lights," Melkonian said, "I would ask them, 'Hi, how are you? [Can I see your bag?]'"
There was also the suggestion by some senators that PS hides in the bushes to catch students violating the law.
Melkonian stated that he's unaware of both practices and that he would never do either himself, but promised to look into them.
Another frequent concern at the meeting involved students who, when intoxicated, call PS to take care of incapacitated friends; they wonder if they will be punished in the process.
"If someone is asphyxiated or alcohol poisoned…that's the concern. People shouldn't be concerned with what's going to happen to them, but the person," stated Melkonian. However, he conceded that underage drinkers would have to be reported, but that PS is not responsible for any final judgement.
"I do not think he addressed all of my concerns regarding the issue of immunity [to punishment]" said Senator Bethany Pine '11.
Melkonian stressed the fact that PS does not write these policies and that they only enforce them for the well-being of the campus.
Melkonian's main assertion was that communication with the student body was essential to improving relations. Some students agreed and offered ideas about how Public Safety might go about fostering this relationship.
Other students took a more confrontational approach, suggesting that there were several aspects of Public Safety's role on campus that degraded the quality of life.
Senator Ian Lyons '10 and Vice President Georgina Canaan '09 both recounted the same student complaint: that Public Safety conducts rude and unlawful searches on private property, demanding that students open their bags without probable cause.
"If I heard the clinking of 30 Bud Lights," Melkonian said, "I would ask them, 'Hi, how are you? [Can I see your bag?]'"
There was also the suggestion by some senators that PS hides in the bushes to catch students violating the law.
Melkonian stated that he's unaware of both practices and that he would never do either himself, but promised to look into them.
Another frequent concern at the meeting involved students who, when intoxicated, call PS to take care of incapacitated friends; they wonder if they will be punished in the process.
"If someone is asphyxiated or alcohol poisoned…that's the concern. People shouldn't be concerned with what's going to happen to them, but the person," stated Melkonian. However, he conceded that underage drinkers would have to be reported, but that PS is not responsible for any final judgement.
"I do not think he addressed all of my concerns regarding the issue of immunity [to punishment]" said Senator Bethany Pine '11.
Melkonian stressed the fact that PS does not write these policies and that they only enforce them for the well-being of the campus.
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