David Mitchell, former county police chief and candidate for University Police chief, referenced the government study “Campus Attacks” when answering a question about sexual assault crimes on campus.
Members of the university community had three chances within the past week to feel out how the finalists for the University Police chief position would fit into and help shape the campus atmosphere.
At the three discussions — held Thursday, Friday and yesterday in Stamp Student Union — the candidates fielded questions ranging from how University Police would better respond to sexual assault cases on the campus to what the proper protocol should be for big basketball games in the future, in light of the recent riot controversies. The first two open forums — where former Prince George’s County Police Chief David Mitchell and County Acting Deputy Chief of Administration Gary Cunningham spoke, respectively — garnered little student attention, with only one student in attendance at each. But at yesterday’s forum, where State Police Chief of Staff for the Superintendent Tom Coppinger spoke, about 15 students from a police aid class were in the audience.
“Given the current situation with concern about the police, I found it a little disturbing [that so few students attended],” said William Fennie, the information core coordinator at the Maryland Population Research Center. “This is a decision that will probably stay with the university for the next 10 to 15 years.”
Other community officials, such as College Park Public Services Director Bob Ryan, Fraternity and Sorority Life Director Matt Supple and Resident Life Assistant Director Dennis Passarella George, attended each hearing and asked the candidates questions that specifically related to their respective constituencies.
Vice President for Administrative Affairs Ann Wylie, who will have the final say in who the next police chief will be, will accept e-mailed recommendations from those present at the discussions or anyone familiar with the candidates, said John Farley, assistant vice president for administrative affairs.
“I think that it’ll be a very difficult decision,” Wylie said. “We have three fine candidates.”
Both Mitchell and Cunningham have experience in a university setting. Mitchell taught full time for a year and worked in the Division of Public Safety Leadership at Johns Hopkins University. Cunningham taught part time at Prince George’s Community College.
Coppinger, who has had no experience serving on a college campus, said he’s prepared to face a learning curve if selected for the job. He said the chance to come to this university would present him with the “unique opportunity to mesh two of the passions in [his] life” — education and law enforcement.
“Policing on a university setting is not something I’ve done before,” Coppinger said. “There will be a lot to learn — I recognize that.”
But the 28-year veteran said that would not stand in his way of finding success, and the most important thing, should he be selected, would be to get out and learn about the community.
“I’m smart enough to go out and get the cooperation of every person I’m serving,” he said. “Without them, I’m not going to be successful.”
Mitchell called the chance to serve at this university an “opportunity to come home.”
The three-time alumnus of the University System of Maryland rose through the ranks of the county police system to serve as chief of police in the early 1990s. He served as county police chief before accepting his most recent position as secretary of Safety and Homeland Security in Delaware.
The other candidate with ties to county, Cunningham, labeled himself as an “extrovert at heart” and said the position would be a perfect match for his interest in teaching and long-standing career in law enforcement.
Ryan, who attended all three hearings, asked each law enforcement veteran about how they would address the issue of rioting.
Mitchell, who had the most specific answer, cited his experience controlling post-game celebrations in the past. He said that regaining student trust would be imperative for University Police to succeed and, should he be selected, his plans involve offering students “a seat at the table and a voice to be heard” with public safety officials.
“There’s a need here to celebrate, and I understand that,” Mitchell said. “But that should not involve burning, looting or property destruction.”
Mitchell worked closely with both university and county police in controlling civil disturbances in 2001 and 2002 when the Terp men’s basketball team made its Final Four runs. But he said what he saw during the most recent riot disappointed him.
“The most recent incident left me wondering what the state of preparation of county police was,” he said. “I saw a force that was greater than necessary.”
Cunningham and Coppinger both suggested examining the basketball schedule and putting big games on days when students would be less likely to take to the streets.
Cunningham said open lines of communication and regular meetings between students and police can help foster a better relationship between the two groups, showing students the “human behind the uniform.”
Coppinger agreed, saying he would welcome any conversation with students as to how the police can be more effective.
“If you have ideas on how to prevent [riots], you’ll be my best friend,” Coppinger said.
At each meeting, a student representing the university’s chapter of Students for Sensible Drug Policy grilled the candidates on their stances about drugs, alcohol and enforcement.
The three students each asked the candidates for their thoughts on a campuswide Good Samaritan policy, which would protect victims of alcohol — and potentially drug — overdose, as well as those who call for help, from university sanctions.
The candidates agreed that students should call for help in dangerous situations but acknowledged the laws in place are there for a reason.
Jack Izen, a SSDP member and freshman American studies and government and politics major, said he has been disappointed with what he said was an imbalance in university priorities pertaining to drug and alcohol enforcement.
“It’s senseless for the university to focus on [drug- and alcohol-related crimes] when there are serious crimes going on,” Izen said. “The police should focus on the crimes that hurt people and not just focus on crimes to punish people.”
But University Police spokesman Paul Dillon, who also attended all interviews, said controlling drug and alcohol use is imperative for police success on a college campus. He added that it’s not uncommon for students to say police put too much emphasis on controlling partying.
“You have to have a wide variety of initiatives to be effective,” Dillon said of his department. “I’ve done too many notifications to parents of dead students from alcohol poisoning.”
present at umdbk dot com
