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Page 8-The Michigan Daily-New Student Edition-University-Thursday, September 9, 1993
Expanded DPS looks over campus crime
by Bryn Mickle
Daily Staff Reporter
They're blue and they carry guns.
No, they're not smurfs with a score to
settle - they are the Department of
Public Safety (DPS), the University's
campus police force.
DPS was originally created to serve as
basic campus security, but in recent years
thedepartmenthasexpanded its scopeand
abilities. In February 1992, the DPS un-
derwent the process of deputization - to
the dismay of many students.
Before deputization, campus pro-
tection was handled by private security
finns. The decision to create a state-
authorized police force transferred the
responsibility of overseeing security
from these private organizations to the
University's Board of Regents. The 20
DPS officers who patrol the campus are
police academy trained and, yes, they
are authorized to carry firearms. DPS is
supervised by two sworn-in Ann Arbor
Police Department (AAPD) officers.
Many students opposed the
deputization decision and said it was
unnecessary and would lead to a cam-
pus police-state.
"You give these guys guns and who
knows what they'll do," LSA senior
Josephine Trachia said."You can't prove
that they are the reason crime has gone
down."
Lt.Vernon Baisden, directorofcom-
munity relations for DPS, said there has
been a decrease in reports of violent
crimes and thefts. Aggravated assaults
and burglaries dropped by almost a
third, while first and third-degree crimi-
nal assaults also experienced signifi-
cant drops. '
'The fact of the matter is that alot of
neonle are workine hard to have a very
Ann Arbor, the, student still faces a
separate University investigation for
possible violation of the Statement.
DPS polices the campus in a variety
of manners. The force uses vehicles, as
well as foot patrols, to survey Central
campus and North campus. DPS also
introduced a bicycle patrol to deter crime
on the Diag and on campus sidewalks.
In addition to its standard policing
duties, DPS serves many other func-
tions. It is the duty of DPS to coordinate
the Safe Walk program - a service that
aids those who do not want to walk
alone at night, both on central and North
campus. The department also provides
etching tools for student bicycles and
other possessions, teaches crime pre-
vention and education programs and
coordinates security for high-profile
campus visits (most recently that of
Hillary Clinton).
An often-overlooked facet of DPS is
the emergency phone system. There are
62 of these blue-capped phones distrib-
uted throughout the University campus.
Individuals in need of DPS assistance
must only lift the receiver of the phone and
automatically the caller's location will be
transmitted to the DPS command center,
and an officer is dispatched to the site.
There are a few misconceptions about
the authority and duties of DPS officers.
DPS officers are authorized to
patrol buildings, but the majority of
night-watch duties are handled by pri-
vate security firms. These non-Univer-
sity guards do not carry firearms.
DPS officers are allowed to hand
out moving violations to students and
non-students alike. Because they are
deputized by the state, DPS patrols can
follow traffic violators off of University
erounds and issue the Droner citations.
The move to deputize DPS offic-
ers has not resulted in the widespread
slaughter of students. In the one year
since the Pegents voted for an armed
campus security force, DPS officers
have never fired their weapons.
The knowledge that DPS is a state of
Michigan deputized police force is vital
for any student planning on participat-
ing in illegal activities on campus -
such as Hash Bash or the Annual Ann
Arbor Riot. If a student is arrested by the
AAPDforsmoking an illegal substance,
the crime falls under city laws-a$100
fine. If that same student is arrested by
DPS, the unlucky youth facesa$10,000
fine and possible jail time - the state-
mandated penalties.
'The fact of the matfer
is that a lot of people
are working hard to
have a very safe force
and that is why there
has been less crime on
campus.'
Lt. Vernon Baisden
DPS community relations
If the riotismore yourspeed, consider
this scenario. AstudentchargedbyDPS in
the assault of a fellow student faces pos-
sible Statementcharges, whereas the same
student caught by AAPD does not run the
immediate risk of being tossed out of
school - just prosecution to the fullest
extent of the law.
The moral: if an arrest is imminent,
then run - don't walk - to the nearest
AAPD officer.
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MARY NuuKrABwuaily
DPS officers patrol atop stylish mountain bikes. DPS was deputized in February 1992 and officers carry firearms.
safe force and that is why there has been
less crime on campus," Baisden said.
The duty of DPS is to enforce the
University's Statementof Student Rights
and Resnonsibilities and camnus laws.
Reports of all DPS involved incidents
are forwarded to the University's Vice
President for Student Affairs, as well as
the AAPD. As a result, any student
accused of breaking the law faces oros-
ecution from two separates entities.
The Ann Arbor prosecutor investi-
gates the case and then decides if the
city go further. Even if a student is
cleared of wronedoine by the city of
CP&P office helps with key professor recommendations
by Jesse Brouhard
Daily Staff Reporter
Career Planning and Placement? I don't ever want a Career
involving work, I can barely Plan dinner for this evening and the
Placement on my fastball has always been lousy.
What does Career Planning and Placement (CP&P) have
to do with me at such a tender age?
Ifyouarepre-med,pre-law,pre-professionalorjustplainpre-
pre-pre-real life, then a visit to career planning and placement
might be a good idea for you sooner rather than later.
The CP&P office is located on the third floor of the
Student Activities Building. The office provides information
and advice for a variety of subjects including obtaining
recommendation letters, contacting employers in your field
of interest and finding summer internships.
The first logical step for most students in their academic
lifetime at the U of M is opening a file in the CP&P office.
This service is free for students.
Opening a file simply means that the CP&P staff will
compile all recommendations you receive into one neat file
that can then be sent out to perspective parties wishing to hire
or admit you (Medical, Law and Graduate schools, as well as
employers come to mind).
The more personal contact you have with your professor
the better the recommendation will probably be. Originality
in the professor's letter appears better to potential evaluators
down the line.
"I attended a conference that my professor hosted and
prepared a summary for him while I was in his class," LSA
Junior Rajiv Shah said. "In addition, I had the opportunity to
meet personally with him on a weekly basis throughout the
course of the term." This is the preferred method for acquir-
ing recommendations.
Sometimes, however, it is impossible to be in close
contact with professors at a large University such as Michi-
gan. What to do then?
An alternate way to get a recommendation if you prefer
taking large lecture classes is to get to know your teaching
assistant (T.A.) well. The professor can then reference your
T.A. as to what kind of student you are and then use that
information to help write a recommendation.
In addition, often a brief profile of yourself is useful in
aiding the professor to get to know you and should increase
the personal feeling of the letter.
"I didn't really know my professor that well since it was
a 500-person lecture, but I did well in the course," LSA junior
Karl Stien said. "He asked for a profile letter and then wrote
me a recommendation."
Don't be overly concerned about all of the semantics,
however. For the most part, professors are very willing to
write recommendations for all their bright young pupils.
Be wary, though. No matter how well-intentionedprofes-
sors may be, they can fit the forgetful stereotype you heard.
Always go to CP&P to make sure yourrecommendations
reach your file.
Once all of your sterling letters have accumulated at CP&P,
all that is left to do is to decide upon a destination for your file.
Mine will be going to Harvard Law, Johns. Hopkins
Medical School and the London School of Economics if you
would like to use any of the recs as a reference.
N -9
Campus Information Center
workers know all there is to know
by Jesse Brouhard
Daily Staff Reporterm
I'd like directions to Zingerman's, the phone number for
the East Engineering maintenance department and four
tickets for the Allman Brothers July concert.
For the first two, the Campus Information Center (CIC)
is definitely the place to go for concise information and help.
For the third, it can't guarantee tickets but will send you
in the right direction to find them.
CIC was created to attempt to unravel some of the
mysteries students consistently faced while trying to survive
the rigors of this large university.
"Pre 1981, there was no place to go on campus to ask
questions or get directions," CIC Manager Dave Watters
said. "It was a very different environment before CIC."
In fact CIC is as close as the university comes to having
a visitor center. Due to the lack of a visitor center, CIC is the
main source of information for campus visitors as well as
students, faculty and staff.
That is not the truly amazing aspect about the CIC,
though. That would be the plethora of information these
student wizards seem to conjure up on the spot.
This service is available 19 hours a day from 7 a.m. to 2
a.m. every day except Sunday. All that is necessary is a
simple call to 763-INFO.
"The main thing I think is important is that we are open all the
time," Watters said. "We are the only office on campus open after
5 p.m. People should think of us as a resource all of the time."
At 7 a.m. when you are in desperate need of a good
breakfast to cure your lack of sleep from night before, who
is the person on the other end of the line telling you the Old
Fashioned Soup Kitchen is a good destination?
These know-it-alls are students just like yourself, just a little
bit more knowledgeable about events and facts aboutAnnArbor
than yourself. They didn't start out that way, though. Most CIC
workers had to gradually leam the ropes and use each other to
leam their wily ways about Ann Arbor and the University.
"There is an application process to become employed
here," Watters said. "It is helpful to have a good grounding
of campus knowledge, but good interpersonal skills are more
important because you learn a lot of things from scratch."
All of the wonderful tidbits the student information
assistants hand out pours into the CIC from a variety of
sources. The largest source of information are flyers and
announcements from groups on campus who are promoting.
events. These promotions are then passed on by the CIC.
"We try to be on as many mailing lists as possible. We rely
heavily on departmental flyers and announcements for our
information," Watters said.
Butdon'tjustcall the CIC forreasons you feel are important.
The CIC has answers to most problems, no matter how wacky.
"I called them (CIC) up and asked how hot the new Taco
Bell Wild Burritos were," LSA junior Sarat Ramayya said.
"Luckily, they told me to avoid them or my mouth would
have been really burning."
CIC even saves lives.
If you're a student and are
looking for a new bank, look no
further than First of America.
We've got a full range of
products and services designed
to meet your needs, from our
Thrifti Checking account to a
variety of student loans, and
more. And if you open your
checking account before
September 30, 1993, we'll give
convenience of Ann Arbor's
largest campus network
with 5 branches and 10
ATMs in the campus area.
We also make it simple to
open your account by mail by
just calling us.
So call 995-7784 to open
your account by mail or
stop by your nearest
First of America office to
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