When I read The Diamondback’s article about the creation of a new police task force (“Task force to target crime,” Aug. 31), my heart jumped. I thought that maybe the officials are finally making a legitimate attempt to curb the violent crime that runs rampant through College Park and its environs. However, it took only a few days for my hopes to be crushed.

The so-called “Special Emergency Responses Team” is nothing more than a glorified party police force. I really should have known better; for in the three years I have attended this university, I have been witness to gross misuse of police resources. It seems apparent to me that the No. 1 police priority is not protecting college students; instead, University Police squander their limited resources going after students for their youthful indiscretions.

What disturbs me most is the attitude the police force has put forth. University Police Lt. Alexis Marchesiello was quoted in a Sept. 5 article about a party bust in an Elkton Hall dorm led by the SERT. Her justification for leading the raid was: “We figured we had hours to kill, so we would come inside where the people are.” As it turns out, there were also people out on Route 1 that evening.

Later that night, at 1:45 a.m., there was a robbery in College Park in which the perpetrator brandished a handgun at a student. Furthermore, on the evening of Sept. 4, there was a veritable crime spree; several shockingly serious crimes were committed in as many hours. Not just any crimes, mind you, but two robberies and a sexual assault. These seem to me to be “Special Emergencies,” so where in the world was the “Response Team?” It turns out they’re too busy handing out fliers and talking to the newspaper about how they’re going to solve our crime issues.

Another recent Diamondback article highlights this problem. The slow response to these incidents was due directly to inappropriate allocation of resources. A county police officer missed possibly catching the getaway car because he was too busy driving down College Avenue patrolling student parties. It is probable that University Police were similarly occupied and therefore unable to respond promptly.

I live in nearby Adelphi, and every day I see University Police miles away from the campus, pulling over drivers for traffic violations as far away as Riverdale, Hollywood and Adelphi. The roads on which they encroach are property of the county and the state and have hardly any student residents. They do not fall under university jurisdiction and therefore should be left to Prince George’s County police.

What about policing those who drive recklessly across the campus, scoffing at the 20 mph speed limit and endangering the lives of pedestrians? The current practice takes valuable officers away from areas in which they are desperately needed.

Shouldn’t the campus police be policing the campus? If they are here to protect and serve the student community, why aren’t they doing either? The “Special Emergency Responses Team” was created to solve the crime problem in our community. It seems to me they have not found answers, but instead it gives rise to a completely new series of questions.

Until the University Police can stop the serious issue of violent crime, they need a drastic rescheduling of their priorities. Instead of busting students for underage drinking or breaking traffic laws miles away from the school, they ought to focus on the issues that really matter. A few students speeding outside the campus, or a small gathering involving drinking and smoking with friends do not constitute any danger to the student community. The first priority of our police ought to be the safety of students and those in the local community. Reprioritizing police resources to deal with violent crime would better serve the campus community, both the students and the police. In simplest terms, this means first stopping the crime that directly threatens our lives. Assaults, robberies and sexual crimes need to take precedence. Until they are adequately addressed, the police must stop wasting time, money and other precious and limited resources.

Jay Hartman is a junior finance major. He can be reached at jhartman@umd.edu.