Page 26 - College Planning & Management, July/August 2018

TODAY’S WELL-DRESSED CAMPUS POLICE OFFICER
via email and the information is sent directly to the billing office. A third technology found in campus patrol cars is cameras, which help support body camera technology.
CPM: What, if any, technologies are used for specific situations?
Lafferty: We use some of the same tech- nologies, such as camera technology, re- gardless of the situation. For public events, we use newer, portable access-control devices to identify persons and their ages. We also use older, well-established tech- nologies, such as wanding, when students are accessing an event.
Now there are mobile metal detectors that are lighter and easier to transport than those of previous generations. And state police and federal agencies are equipped with devices that detect biological and radiological particles that are much more
advanced than what many institutions can afford to purchase, especially when they aren’t used every day. For campus communities hosting large-scale events that exceed their capabilities through staffing or technology, these organizations can assist with manpower and technology to help them achieve an event of that size.
CPM: What new technologies are on the horizon, and how will they enrich campus safety?
Lafferty: Body cameras will continue to advance. They clearly have an impact. From my perspective they are positive because they help support officers.
Also, access control systems, covert cameras and closed-circuit television (CCTV), continue to evolve. For example, CCTV now provides pan-tilt and higher resolution, allowing you to zoom in and
pick up a license plate even at night. Similarly, infrared camera technology will continue to progress. As a result, I can only imagine that handheld devices will continue to mature, thereby complement- ing law enforcement response.
What’s most important to campus law enforcement is making sure recruitment and retention efforts continue to improve. An example is making sure salaries are competi- tive and that we’re recruiting officers who understand law enforcement techniques and have strong interpersonal skills in addition to policing skills.
A problem we face is the moving away from community policing techniques.
This is partly a result of homeland security being delegated to law enforcement and the diminishing resources of many local law en- forcement agencies. Officers need to be part of the communities they serve: They have to build trust and have proactive responses.
CPM: What advice regarding security technologies do you have for campus police officers and administrators?
Lafferty: Stay on top of it. Continue to explore what’s available. I do that by relying on younger officers who are more equipped at comprehending what tech- nologies are out there. It’s important to be willing to continually evolve and, within budget constraints, get the most reliable technology that truly enhances campus law enforcement, officer safety, investiga- tive abilities, and campus community safety. Who knows what new technologies will be available and beneficial to us in the future? The one thing that is sure is that, if we don’t stay on top of it, we’ll fall behind, and that will be detrimental to both students’ and officers’ safety.
Finally, don’t rely on technology to the point of forgetting how to get out and do old-school policing. Walking a beat and interacting with students and employees so they see us beyond the uniform serve to build trust. We can have all the technolo- gies in the world but, if we don’t have trust, policing will continue to be challenging. CPM
26 COLLEGE PLANNING & MANAGEMENT / JULY/AUGUST 2018
WEBCPM.COM