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July 1990
CAMPUS SECURITY:
THE MULE PATROL
By
James A. Huff
Director, Public Safety
Central Missouri State University, Warrensburg, Missouri
Rumors of rape being committed at Central Missouri State
University in Warrensburg, Missouri, created tremendous public
relations problems for the university. And, even though
subsequent investigations proved these allegations to be false,
the rumors could not be quelled.
To counter the damaging effects, the Department of Public
Safety initiated a series of public relations efforts. The
department believed that meetings with the news media, the
Neighborhood Watch Program, and crime prevention and rape
awareness presentations would alleviate the problem.
Unfortunately, this was not the case. Despite all the
public relations announcements and awareness presentations, the
rumors prevailed and the university community wanted more.
Students demanded that campus police patrol residence halls and
parking lots more frequently. Faculty and staff members also
made similar requests for academic and office buildings. But,
because campus crime did not statistically increase in recent
years, hiring additional officers could not be justified.
As a result, the administrative staff of the Department of
Public Safety explored other alternatives. One viable option
was to establish a student security patrol. A number of
universities used student patrols to supplement their campus
police forces with positive results. However, before initiating
such a program at the university, several areas needed to be
addressed:
. How would the security patrol be funded?
. What name would be given to the patrol?
. How would the student employees be identified as members
of a student security force?
. What would their responsibilities be?
. How many students would be hired, and what would be their
qualifications?
These questions needed to be answered before any further
planning could continue.
Funding
In 1985 the Director of Public Safety received permission to
implement a student security force to assist the campus police,
with one provision. Because of fiscal constraints, no State
funding could be used in support of the project. Funding would
have to come from other sources within the university, especially
those operating within the auxiliary budget.
One main area of the university that needed additional
security was the 60 campus parking lots, in view of the recent
increase of vandalism and theft from vehicles, especially at
night. Therefore, funding for 50 percent of the student security
force came from the parking lot operation, which is a budgeted
auxiliary service.
The Department of Residential Life, which has
responsibility for all residence halls, is also an auxiliary
enterprise. And, because the students requested more foot
patrols within the residence halls, funding from this source was
also targeted. After realizing the benefits an added sense of
security would project to the students living on campus, the
Director of Residential Life agreed to fund the remaining 50
percent of the student security force. The biggest hurdle,
funding, had just been cleared.
What's in a Name
Choosing a name for the student security force was the next
consideration. The name selected had to be one that would lend
an esprit de corps. After much deliberation, the student
security force was named the Mule Patrol, since the university's
mascot is the mule.
Identification
The university believed that it was important for Mule
Patrol officers to wear uniforms, but the uniform had to be
easily distinguishable from the navy blue uniform of the
university police. The uniform selected for the Mule Patrol
consists of a white shirt, black pants, and a baseball-type hat.
Sewn on the shirt is the Mule Patrol patch.
Responsibilities of the Mule Patrol
One critical question was, ``What would be the job
responsibilities of the Mule Patrol?'' To arrive at an answer,
university administrators asked various campus groups what
security measures they would like to see implemented. The
feedback revealed that high visibility on campus was the primary
concern.
To define more specific responsibilities of the Mule Patrol,
coordinators interviewed the student patrol force of another
university campus. This student patrol force operated
successfully for several years. However, what works well for one
campus may not work at all for another. Fortunately, this was
not the case. Many of the concepts and ideas of the veteran
student patrol force were incorporated into the Mule Patrol.
The job responsibilities and regulations for the Mule Patrol
were defined and implemented. Specifically, Mule Patrol
officers:
. Do not carry weapons of any type
. Have no arrest powers. Their primary function is to observe
and report
. Cannot leave their assigned patrol area without permission
of their supervisor
. Are under the direction of the Department of Public Safety
. Must be courteous and professional at all times, especially
with the public
. Must render assistance to everyone to the best of their
ability
Mule Patrol officers are expected to adhere to higher standards
as compared to other student employee positions on the campus.
Selection Process
To begin, the university set specific qualifications for
Mule Patrol officers. First, the student must be enrolled at
the university and have completed at least 30 hours with a
minimum grade point average of 2.3. Also, a criminal justice
major was not a prerequisite. And, although not a requirement
for the position, the Department of Public Safety preferred to
hire students who demonstrated active involvement in college
life, such as members of activity groups or residence hall
councils.
After meeting the necessary qualifications, the student
then appears before an oral selection committee composed of
students, faculty and staff. This allows the committee to
determine an applicant's views about the position. It also
provides insight into the applicant's personality, community
service commitment and attitudes about the university and the
public safety department. After the oral selection process, a
background investigation is conducted on each applicant to assure
that the applicant has not been involved in any illegal activity.
On Patrol
The Mule Patrol can be described as students protecting
students. They patrol the academic buildings, residence halls
and parking lots and report any suspicious or criminal activity
that they witness. Their equipment consists of a flashlight and
a two-way portable radio, which allows them to talk on the
police frequency to the dispatcher, campus police patrol
vehicles, and city police patrol vehicles. There are four Mule
Patrol officers on duty each night when the university is in
session.
Mule Patrol officers are assigned to one of four zones when
they report for duty. Within each zone are specific buildings,
parking lots, and athletic areas that they are required to
patrol. If a particular area within the zones has a specific
security problem, this information is noted at the beginning of
each shift and relayed to the Mule Patrol officer assigned to
that zone at the beginning of the following shift. Mule Patrol
officers are also required to report any safety-related problems
that they may encounter, such as hazardous materials improperly
secured or stored and inoperative fire alarm systems or fire
extinguishers. Mule Patrol officers also provide crowd control
and security at concerts and major athletic events. Many times,
they team up with police officers. Future plans are being made
to have them assist in the dispatch centers as back-up
dispatchers.
Mule Patrol officers do not write parking tickets or perform
other such negative duties. The department believes that if the
Mule Patrol officers are not given any negative responsibilities,
the student body and the university community would view the
project in a more positive light, an assumption proven to be
correct.
Project's Expectations
The Mule Patrol project has been in place for a little more
than 3 years and has met and even exceeded the department's
expectations. Within the first few months, the rumors of rapes
on campus were virtually eliminated. The entire campus community
soon realized that there were people patrolling the campus on
foot each night.
The Mule Patrol has also been instrumental in apprehending
several automobile thieves who were working university parking
lots. The Patrol has also gathered information that helped to
solve a variety of crimes, such as burglaries, larcenies, and
drug cases. The Department of Public Safety has also used Mule
Patrol personnel on surveillance exercises, especially in parking
lots, with excellent results. Mule Patrol officers also serve as
excellent ambassadors for the department in its recruiting
efforts for various positions. These procedures have reduced the
amount of overtime required for police officers and, thus, have
saved the university money and reduced officer burnout.
Currently, project expansion is under way because the Mule
Patrol program has been so successful and beneficial. The
university now realizes that a student security force acts as
additional eyes and ears to the regular university police force.
In fact, during the past academic year, the number of Mule Patrol
officers increased from 12 to 16.
Conclusion
Thorough planning and positive supervision have contributed
to the success of the Mule Patrol. However, student security
officers must know the importance of their jobs to the academic
community, and that they are a vital part of a team. After all,
they are not only representing the university and the Department
of Public Safety, but most importantly, they are representing
themselves.
The positive aspects of the Mule Patrol are clearly
evident. The rumors of rapes on campus have been eliminated,
and the campus community now enjoys a heightened sense of
security. The Mule Patrol officers have become more personally
involved and more serious about their responsibilities to the
campus community. But, the most positive byproduct of the Mule
Patrol program is that students are protecting students.