Marquette University May Create A Police Department For Its Campus
ByMarquette University in Milwaukee is considering creating a police department for its campus, WISN Milwaukee reported.
If Gov. Scott Walker approves, the private institution would have the power to create its own police department. If that happens, Milwaukee police, who work the Marquette area, could focus more on the surrounding community.
The school's current security officers don't have the power to write a ticket or make an arrest.
"It's really about efficiency," Paul Mascari, interim associate director of Marquette University Public Safety, told WISN Milwaukee.
He added that public safety officers at the University must call Milwaukee police for situations that go beyond enforcing university policy.
"If we can handle, especially minor, incidents without having to call them and take their officers on the street off the street, you know, that would benefit them and it would benefit us," he said.
Graduate student Brittney Wyatt told WISN Milwaukee she thinks Marquette should make the transition.
"I was a resident assistant at Colorado State University, so I worked really closely with CSUPD and it was really nice for them to have those privileges," Wyatt said.
If approved, the University would pay all the bills for the police department, at no cost to taxpayers
If Walker approves, Marquette's police department would operate under the authority of and in cooperation with Milwaukee police.