A month of preparedness and a day of rememberance
On Sept. 11, 2001, terrorists attacked the United States of America – an attack that resulted in death and injury to thousands of people in New York, Pennsylvania and Virginia. The residents of College Park lost family and friends in these attacks and subsequent military action in the war on terrorism. The nation has, since this horrible event, suffered other local and national disasters, such as the tornado that struck College Park in September 2001 and took the lives of two university students, and Hurricane Katrina in August 2005, which devastated our Gulf Coast.
As a result of these events, Americans have renewed their resolve to become better prepared and more self-sufficient in times of man-made or natural catastrophic events. The City of College Park is located in the National Capital Region of the country, where a high level of emergency preparedness is desirable. It is especially important that each of us becomes ready to be self-sufficient for a period of three to seven days at home, work or while traveling, so that we don’t become an additional burden on the emergency first responders to any disaster such as winter storms, hurricanes, power outages or even another terrorist attack.
In many emergencies, people will be asked to “shelter in place” rather than evacuate an entire area. A good source of information to help prepare for such calamities can be found at www.ready.gov.
September 2006 has been proclaimed to be National and Maryland “Preparedness Month.” Sept. 11th, 2006, marks the fifth anniversary of Sept. 11. I am asking that all College Park and National Capital Region residents remember all who are victims of war and disaster and all who are in harm’s way today, and to honor them by taking action to become better prepared to make ourselves, our families, our city, our state and our nation more self-reliant.
To remember, and prepare, College Park has proclaimed September 2006 “City of College Park Preparedness Month, A Time to Remember and Prepare”, and Sept. 11th, 2006, as a “Day of Remembrance” for all who are victims of war and disaster, and all who are in harm’s way.
Stephen A. Brayman
Mayor of College Park
Questionable reporting could lead to inaccurate perceptions
I find it necessary to respond to Thursday’s editorial, as the message it sends is detrimental to the relationship between students and the police. The editorial, “Police deception leads to student mistrust,” might more accurately have been called “Inaccurate reporting leads to student mistrust.”
The initial article asserts that the officers were in the dorms “under the guise of handing out leaflets” and the officers “later admitted” that the actual intent was to search for underage drinkers. This was not the case. The officers in the high rises were indeed providing anti-theft information and serial-number registration sheets to residents. Theft is the No. 1 crime on the campus and that group of officers had spent hours throughout the previous days in high-rises, on McKeldin Mall and in front of the Stamp Student Union handing out fliers and registering bicycles. They educated hundreds of students, and many had expressed appreciation of the officers’ proactive efforts.
While conducting the same activity Friday, the police came across two underage alcohol parties. No doors were pounded on as both were wide open, with people spilling out into the hallways. In fact, even over previous days, the officers never knocked on any doors, only providing information to those whose doors were already open. As I would have expected, the officers did not turn a blind eye to these parties, but took enforcement action to end them. I have concerns about a Diamondback reporter who tells officers he is researching a story on the freshman party scene and is found to be the only person over the age of 21 at an underage drinking party.
Major Paul Dillon
Police Services Bureau Commander
Department of Public Safety
