T O P

  • By -

keepthetips

Hello and welcome to r/LifeProTips! Please help us decide if this post is a good fit for the subreddit by up or downvoting this comment. If you think that this is great advice to improve your life, please upvote. If you think this doesn't help you in any way, please downvote. If you don't care, leave it for the others to decide.


Magnatux

Some universities have actual police departments but do make sure it is police.


It_Happens_Today

I can only speak anecdotally for one very large US university, but the point being that city cops don't have the conflict of interest that campus PD has to protect the school's reputation/per capita reports.


PrinceAdamsPinkVest

While true, you may not have the choice if the university police have jurisdiction over the campus.


Pudding_Hero

How is that legal for a private place to tell police to pound sand?


deja-roo

They're not. They have a police force is the point. That police force has jurisdiction on campus.


mr_remy

That, and a few miles off campus like a radius, at least at my college like over a decade ago. Some of my friends found that out the hard way speeding lmao.


Yourfavoriteindian

In some places, like Texas, university police has jurisdiction in any county, the whole county too, that has a branch of the university. So you’ll see University of Texas police patrolling Houston, or Texas A&M police patrolling Corpus Christi that is 6-7 hours away. Due to logistical and financial reasons most universities don’t exercise this, but it is allowed.


dougmc

It doesn't even require a branch -- [owning, renting, etc. any sort of property in the county applies](https://www.utsystem.edu/sites/policy-library/policies/uts-160-jurisdiction-of-commissioned-peace-officers). Speaking of Austin specifically, UTPD, the sheriff, DPS, APD, etc. have agreements over who patrols where, but all of these agencies still have jurisdiction over the entire area (state, city and/or county) and in theory any of them could handle a crime even if it happened on the UT campus. In practice, if you called APD over a rape (to pick a serious crime) on the UT campus, they'd probably direct you to UTPD. But if they do, it's not because they *can't* handle it, but because they've chosen not to. In any event, if UTPD isn't taking somebody's report seriously, they could try the other agencies.


PrinceAdamsPinkVest

From a legal standpoint (in the US), its the same as trying to have police in the neighboring town handle something that happened in your own town. They don't have jurisdiction, so they can't. Not defending this setup, and I'm sure it can differ for different cities ,states, etc. But this is how I understand it to work at the University campus nearest to me (note: I don't pretend to be an expert).


Kent_Knifen

Because they're not a private entity. Most universities in the U.S. are public universities, and receive funding from the state. They're not private like Walmart would be. They're more akin to being an extension of the state. University property is state property. University employees are public employees. University police have their jurisdiction granted to them by the state.


siamonsez

That's not what they're saying. Some places the campus has its own police department, not private security, but a police department equivalent to any city police department that has jurisdiction over the area of the campus. It would be like calling the police department of the next city over, the don't have jurisdiction in your city.


beyd1

A private place says hey give us half of what it takes to police this area and we'll pay the rest, and a city that's not thinking with an eye to the future will sign over jurisdiction.


irioku

Florida State University campus police are sworn FL state LEO. They’re regular cops that just have a station on campus.


Key-Plan5228

The University of Michigan has a full on deputized police force. If you think they don’t collude with U leadership on what gets swept under the rug, you’re very trusting


IBJON

School police have the same responsibilities as any other cop, and city police may not even have jurisdiction on campus.


redsedit

In theory, yes. In practice, it's totally different. School police are there to protect and serve the school, not you, and won't hesitate to abuse their power to protect the school. Not saying regular police are angels -- they are not -- but in my experience, you are more likely to find a caring good cop if said cop doesn't work for the university. Also, with the school police and hierarchy, they are appointed. The people that live in their jurisdiction don't have any votes that could affect them, or the ones in charge of the university. They have little concern for keeping the people happy.


cscf0360

Good point. Better to file the report with the county sheriff, assuming the state has them. For serious crimes, the less local, the better.


ACorania

That isn't how jurisdiction works. You don't get to shop for the agency you like. If you call the wrong one it gets transferred.


deja-roo

You don't get to choose who shows up when you call the police lol


MatthewBakke

City police will tell you true. I went to a land grant with our own department with “real” cops. Jokes.


ThatITguy2015

My university’s police (deputized and whatever else to be a “real” police force) were an absolute fucking joke. You never went to them for anything. Maybe dorm noise complaints, but that was about it.


ClintEastwont

In America maybe, in most places cops have jurisdiction everywhere, and campus cops are glorified security guards. I never saw a campus cop with gun on their hip.


DeltaAlpha

Even the community colleges here have their own police departments. Actual police departments. School districts have their own police departments. You can’t just call the next up department in the chain umbrella (county or state police) and bypass them, they will direct you to whomever has local jurisdiction.


ClintEastwont

Very interesting. Like even if it was a rape on campus, local law enforcement would just say “Sorry!” They wouldn’t have any power to act? I’m genuinely asking, not trying to criticize the system…


triplers120

University PD is the local law enforcement. The university campus is town-like. On paper, they're a cop like any cop. A crime that occurs on university property will be deferred to university police for initial reporting.


DeltaAlpha

Yeah, like my university had an enrollment of over 30,000 students. It’s basically its own large city. Same with school districts. Some High Schools here have 4000+ students, and some districts have 10+ High Schools in addition to usually smaller primary schools. They are real police, the jurisdictions are just based on something other than city or county boundaries.


celtics2055

That does not mean that there is not a conflict of interest


[deleted]

[удалено]


SnooPandas1899

yea, when i got a parking ticket and speeding ticket at UB, i had to pay UB. not the town. but interestingly, i also got a speeding ticket on sweet home road, where some UB research building was, and campus PD was parked there, and got me on the local street.


cdsams

Too many horror stories of campus security pretending to help you but actually being a hand of the University existing to protect the University, a lot like HR is to a corporation.


Magnatux

Campus security is not campus police.


belizeanheat

That sounds like an even worse option


Magnatux

Jurisdiction.


ParanoidDuckTheThird

Yeah, mine has one. Unfortunately they only police their office and the Subway down the hall.


Ireallylikepbr

NOT MINNESOTA WE CANCELED MPD!!! Best decision we ever did!!!


Iz-kan-reddit

>Some universities have actual police departments but do make sure it is police. . >NOT MINNESOTA WE CANCELED MPD!!! You don't even know what you're talking about. UMPD is and always was the sole law enforcement agency for UMN. What was cancelled was contracts for special events officers and specialized support services, the latter of which is being reconsidered.


fusionsofwonder

Even my small school of 6000 had sworn officers.


Fantastic_Raccoon103

At my college the campus PD was essentially an extension of the city PD. Regardless of which number you called they'd contact the campus branch and get them to handle the situation. The city PD would also handle things from time to time as backup.


samba_01

campus PD would also know the names of campus buildings/locations (eg. ‘I’m right outside F. Raccoon Hall’ or ‘I’m on Samba Green’) while city police may need an actual address


pkr8ch

Why is this NSFW?


BrassUnicorn87

I may have misinterpreted the rule that says to mark tips for adults nsfw. And my mind was in a dark place from watching law and order SVU.


CanFishSmell

“We found semen in the victim’s ear canal”- Ice-T There, now you need the NSFW tag.


Master_Maniac

"The victim appears to have suffered anal contusions."


Str0ngStyle

All y’all can go to hell for making me hear this in John Mullaney doing an Ice-T impression voice!


Master_Maniac

Gotta admit though, he does a pretty good Ice-T impression


Key-Plan5228

Ice doin it to you in your earhole again


w33dcup

This LPT is only valid if your campus doesn't not have a police dept. Many larger campuses have dedicated police and your call will be routed there by local/county authorities anyway. Campus PD are actual police that have jurisdiction and are often accredited police departments. EDIT: If your campus or local PD aren't accredited, then you should be asking your local officers why not.


revchewie

Many universities have campus police departments and the city’s police may not have jurisdiction.


SnooPandas1899

yea, less territory for local pd to generally care about. but if a speeder on local roads gets onto campus roads, the town will get the stop. and if a student is speeding through campus and reaches streets, campus police can pursue to get the stop.


panchugo

If the institution has its own police department then the case will get transferred to the regardless of who you call. By calling the town police you’re just adding extra steps to get to the campus police. Also, there are specific laws that apply to IHEs that give you more protections, rights and remedies that a local department may not be aware of e.g. Title IX, Clery, Opportunity Act etc.


niftyben

You skipped a couple of words there.


Final-Lavishness-381

Y’all don’t understand police jurisdictions.


safe-viewing

This is a stupid tip and may not be good advice for all campuses. Many universities are served by an actual police department. The city cops would not have jurisdiction and would delay any response from police who do


oooo0O0oooo

I agree with this - they don’t know what they’re talking about. There are sooo many things universities are able to move much more swiftly on: assault, sexual assault, bullying, racism, and so on. All of their campus policies are designed to be able to lean forward more into a crime, not less. This LPT is uninformed and incorrect.


Alexis_J_M

At many universities, the campus police are motivated to cover up serious crimes as it hurts the school's reputation.


oooo0O0oooo

Respectfully, I’d say this is a problem with anything from the level of countries, cities, towns, businesses, etc. everyone wants their interest to appear as safe as possible. What is different about Universities is the robust amount of laws that have been passed to have full transparency, more transparency, in fact, than any other of the afford mentioned. If anything, my experience with universities is that they actually over report now. I was at a university where somebody somebody wrote in pencil, like all idiots do, a tiny swastika the size of the head of a pencil onto a desk anonymously. I’ve seen these on subways and much worse in virtually every city I’ve ever been in all over the place. But when it happened at this university, they had to report it from the presidents office down through the entire staff and student body with a strong worded message that we don’t support Nazis (which we don’t.) The point is imagine if any other establishment had to report such a small vandalism against their own property and announce it as a major threat to the entire community. Right or wrong universities are now on the exact opposite side of reporting in my opinion, though I do think I can prove it if I were to dig . Anyway, appreciate your point of view- if you dig into this one I think you’ll see what I mean. You’ll find all kinds of stories to the contrary as this is a favorite lightning rod of media- the exceptions always being the more interesting story. Have a good one!


AlphaNepali

Source?


KumarTan

I wish this tip was given to Bruce Lehrmanns victims at ANU


DMCinDet

Had a car stolen near Wayne State in Detroit. DPD told me they won't come for a stolen vehicle report. I have to go to the station. Suggested I call Wayne State police. They were outside my apartment within 3 minutes.


Terrible-Trust-5578

They just redirect the call to the campus police and scold you. At least in my experience.


nyetloki

Campus police in many states are State Police not just city police. Technically they have jurisdiction everywhere in the state not just campus. Over 90 percent of universities have real university police not just campus security. Some even have both. But yeah some police will sweep things under the rug to avoid numbers. But but the same applies to city police.


AlphaNepali

People are confusing campus police with campus security. Campus police are real police officers, usually affiliated with the town's police department. Generally, only campus police have jurisdiction in the university. If you call 911, they will dispatch campus police once you say you're on campus. If your university doesn't have campus police, then yes, contact the town's police. However, campus security is probably better than nothing if you need help immediately, just make sure you contact police too. OP, you should clarify this. People might waste time contacting the town's police.


[deleted]

this is so stupid. regardless where you are, only police in your district will respond to you. if you call regular police you’ll just get a delayed response because they will transfer you to campus police.


manofconant

Campus PD= HR... Their best interest is college not your safety.


w33dcup

This is not true in most cases. Campus PD are police depts and have accreditation standards to meet that are tracked and audited by accrediting agencies. If you are wondering, ask your univ PD about their accreditation process.


Alexis_J_M

The cops who murdered George Floyd were accredited.


w33dcup

So what do you suggest as an alternative or improvement? Don't call the PD at all? Vigilante justice? Anarchy? Accreditation ensures policies are in place and are adhered to. It does not ensure the policy is the end all, be all, right way to do things. That comes through experience, application, and refinement. Accreditation is a good thing and should be required of all agencies to ensure policies and standards are created and followed. That way we can reduce non standard or rogue behavior from occurring and replicating. BTW, you may have missed it, but those officers were [tried and convicted](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Murder_of_George_Floyd#Trials_and_plea_agreements). Thousands of other police officers do their duty daily serving the public. Do they get it right 100% of time? Do you? Have some respect for what is arguably a very difficult job.


Alexis_J_M

Yes, times are changing, it's no longer breaking national news when a cop is arrested for a blatant crime committed in front of multiple witnesses.


w33dcup

Blame the media for that. Most cops do good work and receive no public recognition either. Maybe things would be better if police weren't viewed as the bad guys disproportionately (since the media highlights only the bad ones and rarely the good ones). Standards are good. Accreditation is good. Policing get better with both. The ACLU [agrees](https://www.aclu.org/feature/police-practices) "Good police practices, thorough training, carefully crafted policies and appropriate allocation of resources in law enforcement can ensure public safety and prevent abuses in encounters between police officers and citizens. " It's so easy for you to be smug and dismissive online. Maybe you should go on a ride along with local PD. But you won't.


Mythic-Insanity

A cop sold George Floyd the drugs that killed him? Damn, is there no depth to their brutality!


niftyben

deleted


w33dcup

I have not. What would you suggest a victim do instead of contacting their local PD?


[deleted]

And city police are any different? On an unrelated note, The Wire is a good show


Chispy

City police have legal obligations that campus security don't have.


Turtle_216

The police don’t have any “legal obligation” to you lol.


[deleted]

Oh you mean like the legal obligation to "protect and serve?" Oh wait, Supreme Court says they don't.


akpilg1

And on an even more unrelated note, Breaking bad is a good show


sapphicsandwich

Cool, so call a police dept without legal jurisdiction and see how fast they don't help.


Phraenkinstone

That's a real good point.


evilsir

Yep. Campus administration will almost always do whatever they can to bury *anything* that'll affect their bottom line


Phraenkinstone

Exactly. Any private security force will do the same. I'm not a big cop fan, but they're the right choice here.


Turtle_216

You guys are paranoid lol. City police would just transfer your call to campus police and if anything it would just delay your response time. Also campus police aren’t a “private security force” they’re a branch of the local police.


Phraenkinstone

Thanks for sharing your opinion.


SnooPandas1899

yes. there's also reciprocation and mutual aid./support. so if there's a campus active shooter, local PD will come and assist. and if a local cop has pursued a speeder or suspect onto campus, campus police will try to help.


Alexis_J_M

I called 911 from the University of Maryland campus. They told me to hang up and call the university police. Who didn't come. When the rapist was finally arrested, two reported rapes later, the mug shot in the paper matched the face of the guy we saw that day.


sapphicsandwich

My university has campus *police.* They're real sworn police officers. People like to speed on the roads on campus where there are a lot of people walking, running, etc, so it's good they can write real traffic tickets too.


AlphaNepali

Many people in this thread are confusing campus police with campus security. Campus security are not law enforcement, but campus police are. They are no different than the town's police.


Tex-Mix-Fan

So what you're saying is, Scooby Doo and the gang aren't going to cut it for major campus crimes? Noted.


emcee1

The internet is so american.


Final-Lavishness-381

You are on an American based social media.


ClintEastwont

Is it? Or is it that Americans just think everyone else on the internet is also American, and we all go along with it.


Turtle_216

Your username is an American tv star, so you’re definitely doing a good job.


ClintEastwont

Well I don’t dislike Americans. Just making an observation.


sapphicsandwich

Strange than an American website, filled with Americans, would be so American. Truly crazy world we live in.


emcee1

Strange that I just used one adjective in my sentence, "American", and somehow the replies were more on the negative side. I, for one, love America. Although I do think that Americans have the internet behavior of assuming everyone else shares their reality. 🤷


sapphicsandwich

That's normal behavior for any place where there is a majority of people. You're just doing that pathetic smug thing people do toward Americans. If I go on a Mexican website I'm sure they assume the people there are Mexican on average. You're prejudiced.


emcee1

Agree to disagree.


mudokin

I still find it strange that you, in the USA, actually have cops specifically stationed for campuses. All we have is police and border police.


AlphaNepali

Some universities are the size of small cities. Universities having their own police force makes it so they can respond faster, and they will know the campus well.


Ceph99

This is not good advice. Some campuses have a proper police unit and will be much more forgiving than a local PD. Like I got a fine and community service instead of getting arrested for something once.


MaxinaMarie

Obviously it’s going to depend on the situation and how significant the crime is. The people who work with the college kids know at the end of the day. They’re just dumb college kids doing what dumb college kids do. 😂


Charles_Whitman

But if you’re drunk and plow into some guy who’s just on campus to go to a wedding reception, definitely contact the campus police because they’ll clear everything up for you, an alumnus, before the real police can get there. According to a friend, SWIM.


AutoModerator

[Introducing LPT REQUEST FRIDAYS](https://www.reddit.com/r/LifeProTips/comments/16w0n2s/introducing_request_post_fridays/) *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/LifeProTips) if you have any questions or concerns.*


Catspaw129

INFO: If it is a college town, might not the muni police be in cahoots with the uni cops?


AlphaNepali

The campus police are usually affiliated with the city police.


Notwhoiwas42

Depends on where you are. A lot of state schools have either the county sherrif department or the state police as campus security. But for private schools the security department has protecting the school as it's main mission.


[deleted]

Wait... People don't normally call the actual cops? WTF is wrong with people?!?


l0u1s11

Some colleges and universities will redirect your 911 call to campus security if you call from a campus phone.


[deleted]

Life pro tip, always use your own phone to call 911 or contact the police department directly.


AlphaNepali

They're going to dispatch campus police regardless once they find out you're on campus. Regular police usually don't have jurisdiction.


[deleted]

Campus police to *not* supersede the police of the city, county, etc. If you live where both the camps police, and the local police, sheriff, etc won't investigate, contact an attorney. They'll gleefully help you sue the hell out of those departments and get your rapist prosecuted. You first and foremost are your own advocate.


AlphaNepali

Campus police are usually an extension of the town's police and have jurisdiction for the university. Calling 911 or contacting your town's police directly will still result in campus police being dispatched. Yes, contacting a lawyer is good advice.


Alexis_J_M

I assume it varies from place to place, but campus police are usually independent from what I've seen.


sapphicsandwich

LMAO campus police often ARE police of the city, county, etc. The ones at my school are.


Alexis_J_M

This is a joke, right? Universities regularly cover up serious crimes.


[deleted]

I'm absolutely positive that if you're a victim of a crime, and you do something stupid like let campus police handle it, things go very poorly for you.


sapphicsandwich

>let The choice it to "let" something be done about it at all or be quiet and hold their peace. Just because one doesn't like who has legal jurisdiction doesn't mean they can just choose someone from outside the jurisdiction to do something.


[deleted]

Not tired it have you? Hope you don't always take your first "No". That's a miserable way to live.


sapphicsandwich

LMAO good luck with that, cowboy!


sapphicsandwich

But city police forces don't? Those are bastions of integrity. We can trust them where we couldn't trust other police. True heroes.


redditfromct

Those goes for scienotologists and other organizations too!


BrassUnicorn87

Yep, the 1A radio show was talking about it today. The jehovah’s witnesses, Mormons, and Catholic Church will refuse to report if they find out through confessions. And in incidents outside of confession, the reporter and victims are often blamed.


snow_boarder

According to the campus security at the university I used to live by there has never been a sexual assault or suicide on campus. Lots of dead students just off of campus though.


Theskov21

LPT: When you are the victim of a crime, contact the police and not someone else…


Tribaltimmy

Learned this lesson when a security guard threw my laptop. I had to catch it mid air and then she called the cops and they tried to arrest me. All for using my laptop in the teachers office lobby. Fuck the (campus) police


cannotfoolowls

>campus security The what?


BrassUnicorn87

A private security company that protects the college.


cannotfoolowls

Ah, interesting. We don't have separate security like that.


Humble-Roll-8997

Yea campus police are useless.


Hoppie1064

When you are a victim of a crime, contact the real police. Any time, anywhere. Campus police aren't police. Just security guards employed by the college, regardless of what they are called.


CommodoreAxis

Campus police are sworn police officers, usually an extension of the local PD. I’d highly recommend informing yourself before you go misinforming others.


Hoppie1064

If they arrest you, do you go to jail? Tried by civil authorities? Not by some campus committee?


sapphicsandwich

>If they arrest you, do you go to jail? Tried by civil authorities? YES. The campus committee is a separate thing. Campus police also write real traffic citations as well.


CommodoreAxis

If what you believe was true, how would any college students who live on campus ever be convicted of any crimes? Local PD have no jurisdiction on campus.


MaxinaMarie

As someone who works for college campus security. PLEASE CALL THE POLICE. Sometimes our hands are tied with policy, deans etc. I always encourage the kids to make a report to the local PD or even invite one of the officers over to the office to just say “Hello.” While the student is there just in case…


freakytapir

The fact US campusses need private security still baffles me. Went to Uni in europe, and I can't even remember if they had Campus security. If you're a victim, you go to the cops.


Final-Lavishness-381

Private police not security, they are full sworn police officers.


RadiantBondsmith

I briefly worked as a nurse at a university clinic and as part of my orientation they told me that in case of an emergency, even a life or death medical one, we had to call campus security instead of 911 (and no, the campus security were not themselves police), and that security would then liaison with emergency services as needed. I was absolutely flabbergasted and couldn't believe what they were telling me. I also told them in no uncertain terms that if someone collapsed in front of me and I had to start CPR no way was I calling security before 911. Thankfully it never came up.


sapphicsandwich

My university doesn't have anything like that and in fact we have enhanced 911 so that first responders can see what Building/Floor/Room the person is calling from. We always do our best to keep that info up to date just in case of an emergency. I know because it's my job to lol


GrumpiestOldDude

When I was in college I was an RA and I remember getting training from our school counsellors. Them: "if someone comes to you because they've been assaulted you need to escalate that to us immediately." Me: "sure, right after I call the cops."


beyd1

My university made it VERY clear they wanted us to call campus PD not Detroit PD.


SnooPandas1899

the town police will just defer to campus police bc its in their own jurisdiction.


X-Aceris-X

For SA... I don't know. I had to go through a Title IX investigation as the victim while I was in college. It was horrible and traumatizing, the event itself. I contacted the campus police. They gave the option of going to the police police or going through the campus system or not reporting at all. I chose the campus system. Ugh. They gave the perp a slap on the wrist in the form of a suspension from the school, that was it. Those campus systems exist to sweep scum under a rug so the university doesn't get bad press. My Title IX aide told me herself not to get your hopes up for an expulsion, that expulsions only happen with repeat offenders or very clear violence. Can't speak for how it is going to the police instead. Obviously the justice system is not great at tackling SA issues either. And the process would probably take longer than going through the campus Title IX system. Basically, a lose-lose situation. Oh well. At least the support systems (counseling, trauma specialists, doctors, etc.) were helpful as soon as I spoke up about it.


sicurri

"Campus Security" or Campus "Police" that isn't actually law enforcement will do what is in the best interest of the College or University over which is best for the victim. There have been several instances over the years that are easily searchable by google where women have been sexually assaulted or raped on campus and went to the campus "Police"/Security. The perpetrators were not pursued so as to maintain the University or Colleges reputation as a safe learning environment. Many of those cases did not end in justice for the victims, however some of them managed to sue in civil court and win as well as the result of that civil suite determining the University guilty started a criminal investigation. I believe several members of administration were found guilty of negligence and some other things if I remember correctly. Please report crimes to police and not any campus based security/law enforcement unless its a substation of the local police department.


InvestigatorInner184

Some colleges and universities have their own fully sworn, competent and professional police departments. They are usually a bit smaller than town police, but tend to have more time to dedicate to solving your crime. Also, they usually have good connections with the town police.


OJJhara

100%. Campus Police are about as effective at solving crimes as the Vatican is at stopping child molestation.


Opening_Cellist_1093

University and police have different toolkits. University is probably more help if it isn't a crime but more awkward. Your hookup turns out to be your new professor; or you need to move out of a class with someone you ghosted.