4 4 - Tuesday, November 29, 2011 The Michigan Daily - michigandaily.com : .. e ic igan at Edited and managed by students at the University of Michigan since 1890. i 420 Maynard St. Ann Arbor, MI 48109 tothedaily@michigandaily.com MICHELLE DEWITT STEPHANIE STEINBERG and EMILY ORLEY NICK SPAR EDITOR IN CHIEF EDITORIAL PAGE EDITORS MANAGING EDITOR Unsigned editorials reflect the official position of the Daily's editorial board. All other signed articles and illustrations represent solely the views of their authors. Imran Syed is the public editor. He can be reached at publiceditor@michigandaily.com. Consolidating safety Merging police departments can be successful T hough city safety departments have not been safe from statewide budget cuts, there may be a way to save money without cutting these crucial services. In line with Gov. Rick Snyder's plan to cut down on Michigan's spending, the Pontiac Police Department was absorbed by the Oakland County Sheriff's Office last August. The overall positive results of the consolidation indicate that the change, especially in areas with a high crime rate may increase departmental efficiency while also reducing Michi- gan's heavy financial burden. JEFF ZUSCHLAG E-MAIL JEFF AT JEFFDZ@UMICH.EDU Beat it, kid. You must b Is see Santa Focus on what you believe i t Though the decision to close the Pon- tiac Police Department may have shifted the department's .workforce, the move has saved an estimated $2.2 million in state money. By combining the expenses into one department, the Oakland County Sheriff's Office was able to hire 73 additional officers, many of whom worked for or were previously laid off by the former Pontiac Police Department. The consolidation was initially planned as a cost-saving measure, but the decision has resulted in more action that targets crime. Pontiac has seen a 400-percent increase in arrests in the first four months following the decision, according to a Detroit Free Press article, which shows that the change has not affected the ability of safety officials to do their jobs. While property crime has decreased in Pon- tiac over the past several years, violent crime is still on the rise. The city's violent crime rate is drastically higher than the national average. The hiring of the additional officers was only possible because of the money saved through the consolidation and was an important factor in the 400-percent increase in arrests. Though this method may not work in every jurisdic- tion, the numbers show that the change has been particularly effective in Pontiac. Ann Arbor has recently suffered cuts to the fire and police department budgets that have resulted in a reduction of the number of per- sonnel the departments can employ. Looking into a potential consolidation of the two orga- nizations could prove cost-effective and ben- eficial for the city. Snyder has long favored consolidations like the one seen in Pontiac. The proven suc- cess of the consolidation has stirred debates in other areas of Michigan as to whether ser- vices traditionally offered by cities should be expanded into countywide jurisdictions. The push for countywide consolidation of ser- vices allows for greater oversight and stan- dardization of worker compensation that the current system lacks. Regions in other states have discussed the combination of police and fire departments into a larger department that would cross- train employees to respond to both fire and public safety emergencies. Still others have suggested combining non-safety depart- ments such as parks and recreation and water and sewage. Opponents of these measures are concerned that this would result in a public workforce that has many skills, but fails to be experts in one specific task. Regardless of whether these policies are implemented, discussing different options is crucial for arriving at a decision that would be beneficial to Michigan's economy and the safety of residents. While more research is necessary to deter- mine which services and regions would gain the greatest benefit from consolidations like the Pontiac-Oakland move, the increase in arrests and the money saved by Pontiac shows that these measures are a viable option to save the state money without compromis- ing public safety. hen I told my grandfa- ther this summer that I wanted to become a rabbi, I expected he'd be excited about it. I won- dered which of my relatives he'd call first to kvell about how proud he was that I wanted to MATTHEW devote my life GREEN to the continu- _ ity of our people. But right when I said the words, he turned to me cantankerously and said, "What are you? Nuts?" Hardly the delightI was expecting. He's since come around, but just last week at Thanksgiving dinner, my aunt earnestly asked me, "Why don't you want to do some- thing more...fun? Like law, maybe, or real estate?" I guess that's what passes for fun in some circles. In the past few months since I've made the decision to pursue rabbini- cal school, I've heard a wide range of responses to it. Though most of my relatives, friends and acquain- tances are for the idea, a substantial number are not. Some people seem to think it's a joke or a waste of my potential, as if the rabbinate were some frivolous pursuit. Others sug- gest that I'm limiting myself exclu- sively to a small group of people orto the study of ancient, irrelevant texts. Many more don't know how to respond at all. Religion can be a tremendously uncomfortable sub- ject, particularly between two indi- viduals of different faiths. For those steeped in the language of tolerance and multiculturalism, it's sometimes awkward to discuss religion with- out stepping on anyone's toes. And a huge proportion of people, particu- larly in our generation, don't have any use for spirituality whatsoev- er- or they can't find meaning in an organized faith. For what it's worth, I'm noteven sure of how Ipersonally connect to God or if I connect at all. That's at least part of why I'm going to rabbinical school. In high school, many of my friends weren't religious, but the few who were felt that people judged them for being devout Christians. They said most of our friends excused my interest in religion since being Jew- ish carried with it a sort of mystique, but looked at them as if they were crazy and retrograde. In some ways, I'm beginning to understand how they must have felt. Religion often feels like something of the past. Not many people talk about becoming clergymen and women in the 21st century, and indeed it can sound a little crazy. Even the word "clergy" sounds old fashioned. And "rabbi" sounds old country. But the judgment I've perceived is not just because I plan on becoming a man of the cloth. The reality is, if I said I was plan- ning to go to law school that would carry its own set of baggage and stereotypes. From certain people I could expect rolling eyes, comments about slim job prospects or maybe some snide remark about lawyers. Take the business school senior who, when asked about her plans for next year, says: "Well, I got a job with Goldman, but I'm only gonna stay for a few years before I do my own thing." Or the education major who feels compelled to constantly joke about how he's not in it for the money. Or more poignant still, take the unnamed University senior who hasn't the foggiest idea of what he intends to do next year and says he plans to travel or take time off. It's a common chorus, particu- larly for those of us in our last year at the University. Judgment abounds as we publicly ponder our futures, and from time to time, the voices around us become voices inside our heads. This job won't be lucrative enough. That career might seem too self-serving. This choice won't get me where I should be in 10 years. It sounds a lot like choosing a college. And just like college, our careerswill only be exciting or meaningful if we make them that way. Fortunately, as future University alumni, we have that luxury. Do we live to work or work to live? 1 While the judgment I face may be about my faith as much as it's about my career choice, fundamentally, both forms are judgments on my beliefs and ideals. As we try to figure out what steps to take next, it would probably behoove us all to figure out what we actually believe before we take the leap. We need to block out all the other voices and ask our- selves: Do we live to work or work to live? And what is the point of living, anyway? Maybe you'll never answer those questions, or at least not right now. But it's worth taking a study break to ask them. - Matthew Green can be reached at greenmat@umich.edu. EDITORIAL BOARD MEMBERS: Aida Ali, Michelle DeWitt, Ashley Griesshammer, Nirbhay Jain, Jesse Klein, Patrick Maillet, Erika Mayer, Harsha Nahata, Emily Orley, Teddy Papes, Timothy Rabb, Vanessa Rychlinski, Caroline Syms, Seth Soderborg, Andrew Weiner JESSE KLEIN Keep student protests safe SEND LETTERS TO: T Students should reduce and reuse purchase and the t means they need ti in addition to recycle where students can They can make sure functioning so that TO THE DAILY: bottles. They shoulc I recently visited the Materials Recycling Facility, trash bins and recyc where the tons of recyclables that we accumulate at the of both receptacles.I University are sent after collection. I'll start by saying it tional tools to be kn wasn't pretty. After all of our cardboard boxes, plastic However, there i water bottles and glass pasta sauce jars get picked up by can do before indi the city, they get dumped into a pile in the MRF ware- action. I'm not askin house. Subsequently, the large pile is crudely sorted by waste. I'm just aski: machine and by hand in more uniform piles. These uni- one more time. May form piles turn into bundles of material to be sent off for change that will di reuse. I'm not sure what I was expecting, but what I saw or recycling plant.Z definitely was not a picturesque scene of a healthy envi- reusable water bott ronment. Sure, recycling is better than sending trash to be buying some ofy a landfill, but maybe we should be focusing on "reduce" simple as purchasii and "reuse" in addition to "recycle". provided us with m To fulfill the University's sustainability efforts, it will them go to waste. take collaboration between the administration, staff and students to make changes. This means University Bridget Callahan officials need to be more cognizant of the things they Public Policy junior 'OTHEDAILY@MICHIGANDAILY.COM hings they throw away. This also o provide a more effective system do their part in waste reduction. water fountains are accessible and we can fill up our reusable water Id realize that physically separating ling bins can prevent contamination And they can provide us with educa- iowledgeable about waste diversion. s only so much that the University viduals become obligated to take ng you to completely stop producing ng that you think about your waste ybe there is one thing that you can ivert some waste from the landfill This could mean carrying around a le, coffee mug or tote bag. It could your food in bulk. Or it could be as ng less "stuff." The University has any resources, so we shouldn't let Watching the videos of the University of California, Davis police brutality gave me the shivers. More than that, it made me want to cry, scream with rage and yell for change to anyone who would listen, no matter if they had any power to change what was happen- ing or not. Iam from Palo Alto, Calif. and have 43 friends and classmates at UC-Davis. I was planning to visit them over the absurdly long summer. Now I am not so sure. Do I want to go visit a place that sprays its students with pepper spray as they scream and cry? The videos are disturbing to say the least. The screams and choked cries of the 17 to 23-year-old students make y hands shake as I type this. My heart rate kicked up, and my breathing became shallow. How could a police officer, probably with children or at least nieces and nephews, do this to a group of young people? In the video, the students watching the scene yell through pepper spray induced coughs, and shout their support for protests and disbelief of the police. Camera phones are pulled out of pockets to capture irrefutable proof of these outrageously cruel acts. Students look out for each other. The spectators warn protesters of the incoming pepper spray. And after students are dragged from their peaceful circle, knelt on, hand- cuffed and driven away, chants of "shame on you" and "this is our university" reverberate around the quad. As police officers at a public university, the officers involved in the UC-Davis inci- dent have likely been around young adults each day of work. Their job description is to protect students as they make the difficult transition from adolescence to adulthood. College can be a confusing time in which experimentation and boundary pushing can go wrong and in some cases cause extreme harm. Campus police are supposed to pre- vent these problems, not cause them. At the University of Michigan, the Univer- sity's Department of Public Safety has made it clear that the students are the number one priority. The blue light emergency buttons on campus and safe walk programs are clear indicators that they take student safety seri- ously. During orientation a DPS officer came to speak to incoming freshmen, which, in a day full of boring speeches and PowerPoints, was the one thing that really stood out. The officer told the group that he would rather get a call and have it be nothing, than not get a call and have it be something. Even though DPS can be a pain - busting parties and searching dorm rooms - I know that if I was feeling uncomfortable I could call and they would be there. But it's possible that UC-Davis officers put the same emphasis on safety to their freshman, and instead of abid- ing by the policy, they turned on their own students. Protests and demonstrations have long been a part of university life. College stu- dents are outspoken people, and their schools give them the freedom to express their opin- ions. Most universities value that in their stu- dents. The University of Michigan has shown respect for peaceful student protests, which can be interpreted as their commitment to the Leaders and Best among their student body. Universities are supposed to encourage peaceful protests, but instead, UC-Davis, or at least some of its police, decided that elimi- nating an annoyance was more important than encouraging students to act as leaders. Jesse Klein is an LSA freshman. 0 I There are easy ways for students ronmental consciousness. In the end it will benefit our posterity, our Earth and, most obviously, our pockets. to adopt an eco-friendly lifestyle With all of the enthusiasm surrounding Kill-A-Watt - a student competition focused on reducing energy use in residence halls - I find it appropriate to show you how TO THE DAILY: being conscious of your energy consumption, although As a student studying environmental sciences, I am knowingly beneficial for the Earth, directly profitsyou. constantly exposed to information about recycling, By turning off your lights, you have the potential to waste reduction and energy consumption. Yet after talk- save 10 to 20 percent of a total household electricity bill. ing to my non-environmental studies friends, I realized Cutting back your daily shower by five minutes for a year that this information, although seemingly omnipresent, saves you almost $10 (imagine if all your roommates never fully permeates the brains of University students. did this) and more than 4,562 gallons of water. Here are You see signage on light switches about turning offlights some other creative solutions for college students: Turn or advertisements asking you to "Go Green." University on energy-saving settings for your laptop and turn your President Mary Sue Coleman even addressed the student laptop off at night, use a power strip and turn it off when body saying, "Sustainability defines the University of not in use, replace incandescent light bulbs with energy- Michigan. Combine maize and blue, and you get green." saving fluorescent lights, use the microwave instead of We know everyone wants us tobe 'green,' but how do we the stovetop whenever possible, wash clothes with cold achieve a sustainable lifestyle? More importantly, why water and use natural lighting during the daytime. These do we want to be sustainable? What's so wrong with de- are just a few pertinent energy-saving suggestions, but stressing with a 30-minute shower or having the TV on most importantly, spread the word. Let's make it trendy as background noise when studying? to care. Noticeably, the atmosphere we inhabit directly limits the decisions of college students, but there are very easy Lauren Beriont choices we can all make to start this culture shift to envi- LSA junior