They may have moved rapidly to quell Feb. 12’s postgame celebratory riots, but now Prince George’s County Police are only waiting on an invitation from the university administration to come in contact with students once again. Now that they’ve had a few weeks to cool down, it seems county police are finally willing to talk — and with students, no less — about their actions on Route 1 following the Terrapin men’s basketball team victory over Duke University. County police have apparently agreed to come to the campus to speak at a forum with students and administrators if the officials offer the department an invitation. University President Dan Mote should move quickly today to invite county police to the campus and make an open, honest discussion on the riots a reality.
It’s heartening that the usually tight-lipped county police are willing to talk. It is, we hope, an acknowledgment that something went wrong Feb. 12, and police silence won’t prevent the same thing from happening again. If an open forum takes place (hopefully within a week), county police must answer students’ questions thoroughly and honestly so real change can be made.
Most important, however, the administration must invite county police to the campus. Celebratory riots give administrators a migraine and honest discussion about the situation is the only medicine that can cure them. The actions of a few students might give the university a bad reputation in the national media, but administrators’ pseudo-ignorance and refusal to discuss riots will only allow them to continue. Comments by Vice President for Student Affairs Linda Clement appear to show the administration’s openness to a riot forum, and we hope her support is backed by Mote.
Students cannot, however, be left out of this equation. When the university offers open forums on a variety of subjects, time and time again students fail to show up in substantial numbers. If students want administrators and police to take them seriously, they need to show them they are serious. If this open forum becomes a reality, as many students as possible should attend. Only when students are a vital part of the discussion will real progress on celebratory riots take place.
Signs from the county police and administrators about discussing Feb. 12’s riot are good ones. County police want to come to the campus; administrators need to invite them and students need to show up.
