UpDate - Vol. 15, No. 26, Public Safety Insert
April 4, 1996
PUBLIC SAFETY...AT YOUR SERVICE
Campus policing is community policing
Familiar faces are the cornerstone of the Community Policing
Project, a special initiative in the Department of Public Safety.
In the fall, three officers-David Finnie, David Bartolf and
Emmett Robinson-volunteered to be part of the project on the Newark
campus, and Al Laibinis is the community police officer on the
Wilmington campus.
Each of the Newark community police officers is assigned specific
areas to work his 3-11 p.m. shifts. In addition, each has an
office-which serves as a satellite campus police station-where he can
be reached by a phone or e-mail and visited during regular office
hours.
While they still continue their traditional police duties-related
to crime prevention and solving-these officers also are interested in
getting to know the students and campus residents in their respective
areas.
"Their objective is to spend as much time as possible in their
areas, but also to investigate crimes and to take enforcement action
when necessary," Thornton said.
"We know that each officer is different and each area where the
officers are assigned is different, depending upon the physical
structure of the residence halls, plus the make-up, class years and
interests of the students who live and work there. So, we are trying
to make the right fit with the needs of our different campus areas,"
Thornton said.
The community officers attended training sessions over the summer
with the residence hall staff, he said, and they got to know the area
coordinators, hall directors and resident assistants, with whom they
work closely. All four campus officers ride bicycles, making it easy
for them to have contact and mingle with residents.
"Campus policing is community policing," Thornton said. "While
these four officers have been specifically assigned to community
policing duties in a specific area, we believe that every UD campus
police officer is a community police officer. And, the other members
of our department have been trained and instructed to approach their
duties in that manner."
Particularly during office hours, community officers speak to
students about a wide range of issues and concerns. They can provide
information on University services, work to resolve residence hall
concerns and do what they can to enhance the sense of community in
their areas of the campus.
"Too often," Thornton said, "the police are looked at as
outsiders, by virtue of what we have to do. It's inevitable. We have
to deal with enforcement and restrict criminal activity.
"But, there also are a lot of positive services we help provide,
things that people don't notice or realize. We would like to increase
our visibility in that area, so people realize we are full-time
members of the campus community."
-Ed Okonowicz
On the job
Morris Library is a very special 'beat'
When Master Police Officer Paige Seppanen joined the University
Department of Public Safety 12 years ago, he had no idea that one day
he would be assigned to a very special "beat"-the five acres of the
Hugh M. Morris Library.
"While my main job is to enforce University and library
regulations," he said. "I also give information on library hours and
services at campus computing sites, provide escort service in the
evening, work in lost and found and, generally, respond to whatever
needs occur."
He also has conducted crime prevention presentations for library
staff.
Hushed conversation with Seppanen, while walking through the
quiet halls of the library, is interrupted frequently by nods and
greetings to and from staff members and library patrons.
"You get to know the people, being in one place. I find it brings
us together. They know me and they come up to me and feel relaxed
about information they might need or want to give.
"I would never have imagined this type of assignment when I
joined the department," Seppanen said. "I really think it's worked
better than expected. For me, I enjoy working in a positive way with
people on an ongoing basis.
"Besides," he added, with a smile, "in here, you never get cold,
wet or hungry."
Master Police Officer David Platt, a member of Public Safety
since 1989, was recently assigned with Seppanen to conduct community
police work in the Morris Library.
-Ed Okonowicz
MEET YOUR COMMUNITY POLICE
Emmett Robinson II
Laird Campus
Title: Community police officer, patrol officer, Laird Campus
Office: Pencader Commons II
Office hours: 6-7 p.m., Sundays; 7-8 p.m., Mondays and Tuesdays
Office phone: 831-6417 or 831-2222
E-mail address: Emmett.Robinson@mvs.udel.edu
Hometown: Thomasville, Ga. Lived in Europe for 10 years, speaks
German.
Education: South Lakes High School, Reston, Va.; Fisk University
Hobbies: Listening to music-classical music, opera, pop and rhythm and
blues; movies; dancing; target shooting; and travel
UD employment: 3 years
Goal as a community police officer: "I would like to build better
relations with the faculty and students and people in nearby
communities. I'd like people to know that in time of need,
or anytime, the department and its officers are there to
help in any way that we can. I'd also like to present more
crime prevention programs in the community."
Most satisfying experience on the job: "I like being part of the
community and just getting out and meeting people. I also
feel very good when I can recover stolen property and return
it to its rightful owners. Seeing the joy on a person's face
when their possessions are returned is very satisfying."
David Finnie
East Campus
Title: Community police officer, master police officer, East Campus
Office: 116 Harrington Commons
Office hours: 8-9 p.m., Sundays, Tuesdays and Thursdays
Office phone: 831-4883 or 831-2222
E-mail address: David.Finnie@mvs.udel.edu
Hometown: Columbus, Ohio
Education: Newark High School, University of Delaware
Hobbies: Second degree black belt; martial arts instructor; self
defense instructor and trainer; running; dancing; and
watching movies
UD employment: 5-1/2 years
Goal as a community police officer: "I would like to work with and
develop a rapport with students and residence life staff to
reduce crime and help support a safe environment for all
members of the University community."
Most satisfying experience on the job: "I enjoy being able to work
with residence life staff in solving some criminal cases. I
was particularly pleased that the staff trusted me enough to
approach me, in strict confidence, and share their concerns.
I also enjoy presenting programs for students in residence
halls. I think it's important for them to see that a good
relationship can and does exist among public safety
personnel, residence life staff and the students
themselves."
Albert Laibinis
Wilmington Campus
Title: Community police officer, master police officer, Wilmington
Campus
Office: Third floor, Goodstay Building
Office hours: Flexible hours
Office phone: 573-4425
E-mail address: Albert.Laibinis@mvs.udel.edu
Hometown: Newark, Del.
Education: Salesianum School, University of Delaware
Hobbies: Gardening; traveling; and exercising
UD employment: 11 years
Goal as a community police officer: "My goal is to provide a crime and
hazard-free environment for the students, staff and visitors
of the Wilmington campus in a manner that allows them to
feel comfortable with my presence."
Most satisfying experience on the job: "With the assistance of several
staff members of the Wilmington campus, I was able to solve
a rash of thefts. Perhaps, however, more important to me is
having the students, staff and visitors welcome and
appreciate my attempts to serve them."
David Bartolf
West Campus
Title: Community police officer, patrol officer, West Campus
Office: 028 Rodney F
Office hours: 5-6 p.m., Sundays, Mondays and Wednesdays
Office phone: 831-3093
E-mail address: David.Bartolf@mvs.udel.edu
Hometown: Medford, N.J.
Education: Shawnee High School, Medford, N.J.; University of Delaware
Hobbies: Watching movies; bowling; water skiing; and socializing
UD employment: 6 years
Goal as a community police officer: "I'd like to assist, educate and
befriend students and members of the University community."
Most satisfying experience on the job: "I enjoy helping others. It's
very satisfying knowing that the campus community policing
program is having a positive impact on the lives of students
and members of residence life and is making people feel
safer."
DIAL 9-9-1-1 FOR CAMPUS EMERGENCIES
Emergency help is only a phone call away
The University's ability to respond to campus emergencies on the
Newark campus is now state of the art with the installation of an
enhanced emergency service system. Fewer than 30 institutions of
higher education nationally have such a system in place.
When 9-9-1-1 is dialed, this new technology shows personnel in
the Department of Public Safety the exact origin of a campus emergency
call as soon as it is received-be it a University office, laboratory,
residence hall room, a pay telephone in a campus building or an
outdoor blue light emergency phone.
All University phone lines are part of the system, according to
David Heckman, an investigator in public safety. "With the enhanced
system, we'll know exactly where someone is calling from, and we will
be able to respond immediately and appropriately to their needs."
Sometimes in the past, when an emergency call was received, he
said, the caller was so upset that it was difficult to determine his
or her location or the caller would hang up before providing all of
the information needed.
Using the University's new enhanced 9-1-1 system, Heckman said,
dispatchers are able to verify location information, instead of having
to ask for it, freeing them to spend valuable time with the caller
focusing on the nature of the emergency.
When a person on campus dials 9-9-1-1, Heckman said, the call
comes into the Public Safety Answering Point, where the dispatcher
automatically receives important detailed information, on a computer
screen, about the source of the call. To have the new emergency system
operate at peak efficiency and speed, it is necessary to act as though
one is making an outside call when dialing. Hence, on the Newark
campus system, a caller should dial 9 (for an outside line) followed
by 9-1-1. If a campus caller dials only 9-1-1, then the connection
will work, but there will be a 12-15-second delay before connecting to
Public Safety.
Included on the screen are the room number, building name and
street location.
Employees and upperclass students will have to change the habit
of calling extension 2222 for emergencies, Heckman said.
"Over the years, we've tried to move people away from calling
extension 2222 for everything dealing with public safety," Heckman
said. "A public information campaign will be conducted to advise the
campus community of the numbers to call for such non-emergency
services as general information, parking concerns, traffic conditions,
security services, bank deliveries and messenger service.
"Importantly, we want everyone to use
9-9-1-1 strictly for reporting emergencies," he said.
The new system completes public safety's dispatch center, which
not only processes calls and dispatches police, but also fire and
ambulance personnel. Some campuses and smaller town dispatch units may
only deal with police service while other emergency calls are
transferred to a nearby, larger municipality.
All UD communications room staff members attended a 40-hour
dispatch course where they learned proper techniques for emergency
call handling and dispatching. In addition, the staff members received
a 24-hour course in emergency medical dispatch training, so they can
determine the proper level of emergency care that is needed and then
send the correct medical response team when calls are received.
According to the National Emergency Number Association, the
nearest universities that have installed the enhanced emergency
9-1-1 service are Trenton State University and Rutgers University in
New Jersey.
Heckman described the enhanced emergency notification system as a
"dramatic step up. The University community will be better served as a
result of these important changes."
Public Safety phone numbers
9-9-1-1 Serious, life-threatening or in-progress, police or medical
emergencies-Newark campus
9-9-1-1 Serious, life-threatening or in-progress, police or medical
emergencies-Wilmington campus
9-9-1-1 Serious, life-threatening or in-progress, police or medical
emergencies-Sussex County campuses
831-2222 Non-emergency police and general information
831-2224 Messenger services, non-emergency medical transports, bank
deliveries
831-1184 Parking and traffic information or services
831-2478 Public Safety administration
831-2682 Security services and special events
831-2683 Criminal Investigations section and billing inquiries