| Show Campus Police May Get Second Chance to Protect By Jessica Springer Campus Editor On May 29 The Salt Lake Tribune released portions of a report done by Randy Johnson the interim Police Chief Johnson is also a colonel with the and was asked by the college college college col col- col- col lege to conduct a full management management management manage manage- ment review According to The Tribune article article article arti arti- cle the report found excess of 70 items needing attention and cited a lack of acceptable law enforcement practices The Tribune also claimed Johnson found police officers do donot donot donot not undergo pre-employment pre polygraph exams psychological evaluations or drug screening as part of the hiring process Those factors expose the college to significant significant significant sig sig- risk the report said Donald Porter Vice President of 4 4 jt M I Business Services in an interview interview interview inter inter- view last Tuesday confirmed that Randy Johnson started working as the interim Police Chief at the end of January Porter stated tat d. d that t Photo by Christie Paye when former Chief Dave Campbell retired former fonner college President Cundiff went to the Commissioner and asked them if they would loan the col col- Jk r 4 lege a highly qualified Police Officer to find good about the force what's bad about the force and what can make the force better The sent Johnson and within about 3 months Johnson filed his first draft of an evaluation and recommendations recommendations recommendations for the Police Force This first draft eventually was made into an official report The same report that was quoted in The Tribune article In response to the article Judd Morgan interim President stated in a letter to faculty faculty faculty fac fac- fac- fac and staff The will test and qualify current officers officers officers cers based on the the- current qualification requirements Although these requirements are certainly rigorous as they should be considering the great See RISon RIS Risi on page page I 1 Risks continued from Page 1 a armed officers bear any officer who applies and qualifies for a position is guaranteed a job Officer Tiffany Blair disagrees Blair is is' isone one of the many officers who is losing her job She claims what Morgan said is untrue and Morgan did not ask any of us to show our qualifications qualifications qualifications or certifications She also would like everyone to know the tle Police e Officers have graduated from the Utah Police Academy We all keep up our training to keep our We have the EXA EXACT T training and certification just like every other Law Enforcement Officer in Utah In response to Morgans Morgan's guarantee guarantee guarantee guar guar- antee that everyone who qualifies qualifies qualifies fies will receive a job she states Nobody is guaranteed a job We Weare Weare Weare are invited to test with If everybody passes the testing which I and various others have m passed with flying colors it still does not guarantee jobs for everyone Porter responded this is simply a case of misunderstanding Judds Judd's statement He said though it is true the officers were not asked for their qualifications or certifications he explains Based on the report done by Randy Johnson and also many other outside comments we decided to contract with to provide a police force for our Redwood and South City Campus that is as highly qualified as possible He said what The Tribune found was correct In the past when hiring police officers applicants were not required to undergo background background background back back- ground checks or drug screening and other testing as part of the hiring process He said in the best interest of the college this testing and other qualifying requirements needed to be Our officers carry a agun agun agun gun that is a reason in itself to tomake tomake tomake make sure they are trained and qualified In order for this to be done the theto to college felt the the best way would be to terminate all the current officers while giving them the opportunity to re-apply re through In the past the Police Force was run through now the running of the force has been given over to who was hired by the college to ensure the safety of Redwood and South City cam cam- The other campuses campus campus- es will be under local Police Force jurisdiction The last working day for all current officers is June 30 July 1 will take over Morgan assures in his letter The college is committed to providing students faculty and staff with the safest possible environment in which to work teach and learn He explains will provide much needed additional security at a lower cost than the college could provide provide provide pro pro- vide using a college force i |
