Calling campus police versus city police

[skittlesnbugs Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close skittlesnbugs]

Hello all,

As a note, I’m rather confused so I am sorry if this is jumbled.

I have some general questions about calling campus police versus city police. At my university we are told to call our campus police instead of the city police in case of an emergency. Which makes sense I guess. This is what the police page on our website says about our department:

The University Police authority originates from legislation written over 100 years ago when the State of Missouri vested the University of Missouri with the power to establish its own police force to maintain order, preserve peace and make arrests. This commission is the same type held by all peace officers in the state. The additional power to expel anyone violating the rules and regulations of the University from the public buildings, campuses, grounds and farms owned by the University of Missouri was also granted. (Revised Statutes of Missouri, Sections 172.350 and 172.355)

University Police Officers carry a second commission through the City of ____. In addition to enforcing the rules and regulations of the University, University Police Officers enforce city ordinances and state laws on and around University property. University Police Officers are state licensed peace officers through the Missouri P.O.S.T. Commission (POST), which currently requires 470 hours of certified training.

And I don’t really know what to do with that. If I am attacked on campus, and I call the university police, what can they do? Would they call the city police? Would it matter? What if I called city police first? Would the city police then have to call campus police? Would one be potentially faster than the other?

And I am probably worrying too much; but I get terrified to the core when I am walking home at night, and I think of things like this.

Thank you in advance for any information and help!

[mtxpro752 Find all posts View Profile Close mtxpro752]

Your campus police will be the fastest to respond to anything at the campus, if you dial 911 and give them an address that is on the campus they may transfer you to the campus police dept anyway. If something happens that is on too large of a scale for the university police to handle they will determine that and they know what procedures they need to follow to properly handle the situation.

University Police are just that, the Police. Your question is almost like asking, do i call the Sheriffs or city police, all the same in the end we just have different areas we patrol.

[Fuzz Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close Fuzz]

Here for the major colleges/universitys the campus police agency who has jurisdiction is the one that would take the crime reports, etc. You would call the campus police as they have full police powers. If something came up beyond their ability they would call for mutual aid or assistance from the city police.

The local community colleges have campus police, but they are not a full service police agency as they call us for most true crimes.

If you need on help on campus call the campus police...

[K9Tom Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close K9Tom]

I work in a university town. If it happens on campus you call campus police, off campus you call city. If it's an emergency, call 911 and both might show up. Either way the police are coming and we work with each other quite a bit.

[Bearcat357 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Bearcat357]

If I am attacked on campus, and I call the university police, what can they do?

Errr.....The Univeristy of MO-Columbia Police Dept. is a full-service Police Dept. Meaning...if you call them, they will act just like the City Police when it comes to processing a crime scene......

Would they call the city police?

Only if it was something big.....and they needed assistance. Same thing Columbia does as well if something big happens. They will call the County Sheriff's Dept and the MU PD folks.....and possible the Highway Patrol for assistance....just all depends on what happen and how much manpower they need to help them. It goes both ways....

What if I called city police first?

Depending on the issue....ie if it was a true emergency.....they would send a City car along with letting the University know so they can respond and take over the scene..... If it was non-emergency, they would refer you to the University Police.....

Would the city police then have to call campus police? Would one be potentially faster than the other?

Yes....if something happens on Campus, the University Police have to be called as its their jurisdiction...... One would suspect that the University Police will get there much faster than the City folks would......

[goodfella Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close goodfella]

Campus POLICE are the exact same as city POLICE....

they went through the academy and they're sworn peace officers so call the campus police if something happens on campus boundaries...

[Bearcat357 Banned Find all posts View Profile Close Bearcat357]

Campus POLICE are the exact same as city POLICE....

Especially where he/she is at......

[deputy x 2 forum member Find all posts View Profile Close deputy x 2]

When the crap hits the fan...the campus police are more familiar with the area, specifically the buildings, parking lots etc. It's their jurisdiction....and your call will probably get redirected anyhow.

[just joe Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close just joe]

Why are you confused? You are told to call the campus police and their website clearly states that they are certified police officers. Call the campus cops and you will get a quicker response by officers more familiar with the area.

[PhilipCal Forum Member Find all posts View Profile Close PhilipCal]

You're complicating what really is a very simple issue. On campus, you call the Campus Police. Off campus, the City Police Dept. At the end of the day, the Campus Police Officer is a fully empowered, certified Police Officer. If you require his/her services, they're a phone call away.

[AZtribesman Sine Metu Find all posts View Profile Close AZtribesman]

I may be wrong, but I think the OP does not understand concurrent jurisdiction and state-wide police powers. Understand that police are not strictly bound to their exact jurisdictions when taking enforcement action, especially in an emergency situation. If this was the case, imagine all a violator or criminal had to do to escape from one juridiction to another.

I am a highway patrolman, my primary jurisdiction is the highway and state property. However, at my discretion, I can invoke/exercise my police authority in ANY situation, regardless of its location in my state or to aid another lawful police entity.

Hope this helps, otherwise thank you for the chance to practice spelling, jurisdiction.

[SmallCityCop Calves of Justice Find all posts View Profile Close SmallCityCop]

Campus police are POLICE for a reason.