A group of University students and community members opposed to the University’s Campus Policing Initiative, which would change the Department of Public Safety into a sworn police agency, plan to hold two “Days of Action” during the ninth week of winter term.
At a meeting held Tuesday evening at the Lorax Manner on 1648 Alder St., approximately 16 individuals gathered to discuss what they view to be the danger to students posed by the creation of another police force in Eugene, most notably because this new department would have the potential to carry firearms, as outlined in two bills under review by the Oregon State Senate.
State Bills 116 and 405, if passed by the House and Senate and signed into law by Oregon Gov. John Kitzhaber and in turn approved by the Oregon University System, would allow for DPS officers to carry firearms and Tasers with proper training from the Department of Public Safety Training and Standards. University and DPS officials have in the past expressed their support of such a move.
The weapons issue is not the only potential change that could be brought about by SB 116 and SB 405, but it was the primary issue focused on at yesterday’s meeting. At a town hall meeting on Feb. 2, DPS Chief Doug Tripp emphasized that both bills would also enable his department to receive more training and be more effective in serving the University community. Impact statements released by the Oregon University System showed there would be little financial impact on the University, and the bill would also enable DPS to conduct independent crime investigations without relying on the Eugene Police Department.
The Lorax meeting was informally led by ASUO President Amelie Rousseau and Students for a Sensible Drug Policy member Sam Chapman. Both cited the need to raise awareness of this topic among the University community.
Early in the meeting, Rousseau said the move to an armed and sworn department was unnecessary to an already safe campus not in need of a police department.
Chapman said the University is promoting the Campus Policing Initiative as a way to protect students but hadn’t asked students what they thought about the issue.
University junior Caleb Palmer said he was concerned about the ability of a sworn agency on campus to investigate and charge students for issues like drug use and possession.
“I’m worried about drug arrests,” Palmer said. “I’m worried about a normal student arrested for just smoking a joint in the dorms and being arrested and their (financial aid) will be ruined on frivolous charges.”
The meeting largely revolved around specific actions that could be taken to publicly oppose the Campus Policing Initiative and the pending bills. The main decisions to come out of the meetings seemed to be the need for a petition-signing campaign, which would start immediately with the goal of obtaining 3,000 signatures, and a public demonstration against the Campus Policing Initiative, which would ideally attract 200 attendees.