According to Mayor David Malone’s Conference Agenda, SSU has requested the agreement to improve safety for citizens by extending jurisdiction of the Shawnee State University Police Department to include streets, alleyways and sidewalks passing through or adjacent to the properties.
SSU Director of Communications Elizabeth Blevins said the memorandum of understanding is standard practice between law enforcement agencies.
“And where we’re establishing a police department, this is part of that whole process that we’re seeking an agreement with the city that allows the city to call on us for back-up if they need to,” Blevins said.
According to the background on the resolution, “Nothing in this mutual aid agreement is intended to alter the provision of fire and emergency medical services by the city to Shawnee. In the event of an emergency situation requiring mutual aid police services, the party receiving the request shall furnish such services, if available. In the event of a non-emergency situation, the party receiving the request for mutual aid police services may furnish such services as it deems appropriate.”
“It also allows our officers, if they are on regular patrol for the university, and they are in our patrol zone, and they happen to notice a crime being committed outside our zone, it allows them to respond until the city police can get there,” Blevins said. “So they would respond and contact the (Portsmouth) police and it allows them to do that.“
Blevins said it also allows the current city dispatch to call on the campus police where needed.
“Say someone on university property calls 911, it allows their dispatcher to dispatch one of our units,” Blevins.
If Council brings it up at the next regular session it can be passed on first reading since it is in the form of a resolution.
FRANK LEWIS may be reached at (740) 353-3101, ext. 232, or flewis@heartlandpublications.com.
2. Is this less work for the Police and Fire and they want that increased income tax? The only thing constant is change in in Municipal Government that's call Chaos, mismanagement, etc.
3. So the local dispatcher and or cop on the street makes the decisions, vigilante justice, like "Ice Station Zebra?" Bring in those Red Beret's not some young kids untrained and unarmed?
4. Oh, Public Safety, "if it seems appropriate" or "if available." Keystone Kops?
5. Is mutual aid like a "memo of understanding" from the unions?
6. What are the pro's and con's of this relationship, has anyone researched it? Does the Solicitor Jones condone this and the Auditor for liabilities??
7. Did Thoroughman promote this or his puppeteer Horner? What's the money flows, if any?
8. Frank, what does Ohio State and or other Public Universities in Ohio do? Anybody investigated this for the history in Ohio and experience, or is this the Garden of Eden, still with original sin and no redemption?
9. Only a resolution? Is that legal? What about the Fire Department's mutual aid relationships with surrounding jurisdictions, real legal entities?
10. Will the SSU personnel be trained and deputized and armed or will it be up for grabs, Public Safety. Hey, I'm part of the Public?
11. Or is that where the money flow will be?
12. What about closing 3rd. St? Whatever happened to that Keystone Kops? Help, God save the King, Ptown? What every happen to that student killing by gun fire in student housing and all those "unsolved" arsona? Anybody, asking about those things or just a rubber stamp for the Keystone "electron" Kops?
over.....................