In the wake of the increasing trend of violence occurring in and around campus, there must be a reevaluation of security administration and Department of Public Safety officer protocol.
After this weekend’s trifecta of violent incidents, especially the riot that occurred between the Henle apartment complex and Red Square, students have been left questioning their own safety and the safety of the DPS officers who are supposed to be protecting them. Three officers were hospitalized for injuries they incurred while trying to break up a drastically-escalated conflict between Georgetown and Howard students. DPS officers are armed only with hand-cuffs and a badge every time they go out on duty. Although Director of DPS, Darryl Harrison says that all officers have been through orientation, this is not nearly rigorous enough training for situations like the one that took place early Sunday morning.
These officers work for the Department of Public Safety, whose mission of safety is in its very name. The training should extend beyond just an orientation and should continue into their tenure so that they can continue to serve the community.
DPS officers must be given higher wages and better working conditions so that the department can retain officers who have the experience necessary to make Georgetown a safer place. These officers are working long hours, often through the night. Better pay and better training will make a world of difference.
Close attention to the day-to-day operations of DPS is vital, now more than ever thanks the alarming trend of violence developing near the Hilltop. Crimes that once took place on Wisconsin Ave. and Prospect St. have moved to places like the Village B and Red Square, right in the heart of campus. As the crime gets increasingly violent and closer to the center of campus, more highly trained officers need to be on duty during the most boisterous of nights. There should never be untrained officers working on a Saturday night. Harrison and the rest of the security administration need to undergo a performance review so that such mishaps no longer take place.
The University owes it to its students to do its best to ensure their safety.
