CHALLENGER INSIGHTS Vol. 13:
Insight into Campus Police
As a lifelong Illinois Fighting Illini fan, it was with a bit of contempt that I visited the University of Wisconsin Campus Police right outside Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin. I was surprised to see this facility was a fully functioning police department—with dispatchers, specialized units, and 70 officers.
Admittedly, I was less surprised when I learned that between students and faculty, UW-Madison is a campus comprised of over 45,000 people to keep safe on a daily basis—and it also got me thinking. The role of a campus police department has expanded—even though crime rates are plateauing at many universities across the United States, two big issues—an increase in campus shootings and protests—have caused campus police numbers to swell. As a result, it’s important to make sure that campus police comprise a part of your Public Safety strategy..
Lockers For a Home Away From Home
UW-Madison’s campus police had visited a police facility in the area and were attracted to the quality of the Spacesaver FreeStyle® lockers. The officers were embarrassed of their locker room—it had five types of lockers, which they had inherited from other facilities on campus. Seeing beat-up gym lockers wasn’t new to me, but I understood the needs of the staff—it was important to them to have a professional facility where they could start a shift off right.
Secure Chain of Custody for Evidence
As we toured the facility, I noticed other multi-tier gym lockers were being used as evidence lockers. The campus police were concerned about chain of custody issues with the lockers they were using, and they wanted the same tools for the job as other law enforcement agencies.
In general, evidence storage needs were smaller than what I am accustomed to seeing in a department with 70 officers. We discussed methods for packaging evidence and systems for envelopes and boxes to build a professional, organized evidence storage area.
Firearm Storage for Varied Needs
The firearm storage was unique. As larger campuses like UW-Madison face the threat of an active shooter and the threat of rioting, the department has added AR-15 rifles. They also have tear gas launchers and canisters that require additional security. The department also keeps firearms for students. In Wisconsin, the popularity of deer hunting means that many students want to bring rifles and shotguns to school—but these cannot be stored in the dorms. The campus police store the firearms in safekeeping for the students upon request.
These are just a few of the opportunities that were revealed on this particular campus police visit—these departments are often challenged with finding areas to securely store evidence and firearms. Put aside rivalries, and visit these facilities—they’re in need of our expertise.
P.S.: Go Illini!
Have you uncovered a wealth of opportunities at campus police departments? What challenges do they have that differ from a typical state or local agency? Email McKenna Dustman at mdustman@spacesaver.com to give her your insights.