Major oversight

Committee would provide valuable guidance

More than a week has passed; bruises are healing and flared tempers have mellowed. Police officers' controversial actions following Michigan's victory over Ohio State prompted many students, faculty and administrators to question and seek to re-evaluate the Department of Public Safety's role on campus.

Provost Nancy Cantor, during a meeting with the Senate Advisory Committee on University Affairs, promised to fully investigate what transpired following the game, and announced plans to form a faculty DPS oversight committee. While her announcement is clearly meant to satiate an angry community, her ideas have a good intent. But Cantor's words will ring hollow unless the plans come to fruition - the University must give faculty and students the power to check DPS' extensive.

The administration has admitted to botching plans for handling fans following the Ohio State contest. Cantor even acknowledged that it was unrealistic to believe students would not rush the field. It is useless to ponder why administrators did not apply this line of reasoning before the game. Instead, the University must evaluate why the officers used unnecessary force, and who is to blame.

DPS officers, the Washtenaw County Sheriff and the Michigan State Police all manned the field following the game. It is unclear if there was ever a coordinated post-game plan that took all contingencies into account. None of the outfits have accepted blame for police activities, and the orders given to officers have not been released to the public. The fact remains that a handful of fans were violently taken to the ground and sprayed with mace while 8,000 of their compatriots peacefully rallied on the field.

The post-game events bring an even larger issue to the forefront - years following deputization, it is still a struggle to determine where DPS fits into the University. The Ann Arbor's Police Department used to patrol University grounds at a fraction of DPS' cost. But the University fought a huge battle to win the right to deputize, and there is no indication that administrators will change their stance anytime soon.

Given these circumstances, an oversight panel must be installed. DPS officers and their immediate supervisors are currently responsible for determining the department's priorities. Many of these individuals were recruited from other city and state police departments, and may have difficulties adequately addressing campus law enforcement's intricacies.

Cantor's committee, consisting of faculty, staff and students, would examine DPS policy, planning and procedures. But examination does not go far enough - the committee should have the power to negotiate any changes it finds to be necessary. In addition, committee members should participate in the planning process for all major events.

In its preparations for the Ohio State game, DPS misjudged how students would react to the threat of police force. They erroneously believed that a few officers in riot gear would prevent thousands from cavorting on the field in celebration. There is no one who can feel the University community's pulse better than community members themselves. An oversight committee would help mold DPS' procedures to closely fit campus needs. If such a committee had participated in DPS' post-game planning process, there would not be a sour footnote to Michigan's historic victory on the gridiron.

12-05-97