Editorial: Arrests must be made public promptly

[Swimmy]

Editorial: Arrests must be made public promptly

I read this today, scratching my head. How is it that HCCC security can initiate an arrest but would have to invite police officers to conduct an investigation?

Seems like someone in HCCC's administration is getting too big for their britches.

[froggy]

Since when did HCCC have its own police force and court system to prosecute crimes?

No, HCCC just doesn't want everyone to know the extend of the issues they have. Fortunately Williams is done at the end of this school year.

[frankcor]

swimmy said:

Seems like someone in HCCC's administration is getting too big for their britches.

Or too lazy to consult an attorney?

[Swimmy]

Nah, unless they employ state police for campus security, like SUNY Binghamton does, I don't think campus security has arrest authority and would have to call the police. No need to consult an attorney for that one.

[dgriffin]

I may be wrong, but I believe that SUNY campus police do indeed have the authority to make arrests. They are officially constables. But I'm sure they aren't normally staffed or equipped to conduct investigations to gather evidence that a DA would want for prosecution. So, they make the arrest and call in a regular police agency to conduct a proper investigation. Makes sense.
Dave

[dgriffin]

It just occurred to me that we have a police officer on this forum. Maybe he'll stop by.

[corner]

suny safety officers were given peace officer status which gives them the power to investigate crime carry weapons and make arrests base only within the limited scope of their jurisdiction, generally peace officers can only make anarrest if they witness the crime. they cannot arrest based on a complaint only police officers can do that.. they are not constables , marshalls deputies or police.. under the penal lw they are safety officers given limited peace officer status

[Swimmy]

Interesting, I wonder how SUNY at Binghamton University gets away with uniformed State Troopers.

[kim]

Don't know about Binghamton, but this is from Plattsburgh.

New York State University Police Officers are appointed by the State University of New York and as defined by section 355 subdivision 2, par. 1 of the New York State Education Law and section 1.20 subdivision 34-S of the New York State Criminal Procedure Law.

They have the authority to make arrests, conduct criminal investigations, execute both search and arrest warrants, issue uniform traffic tickets, appearance tickets, and issue summonses for parking as well as enforce any general, special or local law, ordinance, rule, regulation, judgment or order.

The University Police at Plattsburgh State is the law enforcement agency for the campus. It consists of a staff of well-trained and highly motivated individuals who are committed to creating and sustaining a safe environment in which to live, work and learn. Departmental services are available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Professional "dispatchers" Staff the University Police front desk and answer the phone lines 24/7.

Fifteen sworn police personnel are vested with full law enforcement responsibilities identical to the local police in your community. We encourage you to promptly and accurately report all crimes to the University Police Department.

Officers are trained at local police academies. They receive specialized training and in-service training in first aid, defensive tactics, legal updates and other law enforcement topics.

With certain exceptions, the law enforcement authority of the College's Police Department is limited to the campus and adjoining roadways.

University Police officers have statewide jurisdiction, as do all other police officers within New York State. Their primary jurisdiction is State University owned property and roadways that cross or abut the campus. University Police officers at Plattsburgh do carry firearms.

[Swimmy]

SUNY Binghamton is similar to Plattsburg. They're state troopers authorized to carry firearms. They're jurisdiction spans university owned property and access points abutting those properties.

Thank you for finding that information.

[dgriffin]

Kim, the last sentence of your post includes the phrase, ""primary jurisdiction," referring to where the campus police will normally operate. But I wonder if they have authority ... such as Corner pointed out ... if they witness a crime, to make arrests in other jurisdictions. Down here in the Catskills, we have the New York City DEP (not DEC, but New York City's Dept. of Environ. Protection) who patrol the City's reservoirs to keep them safe. They may also ask you for your reservoir permit when you're fishing and slap you upside the head (figuratively) if you don't carry out what you carried in. But they have taken to chasing down speeders and issuing tickets around the reservoir, something entirely new to the residents, who have become quite upset with the "water cops." as they're known. A local judge refused to prosecute a ticket for the DEP and they brought him before the Judicial Conduct folks in Albany who censured the judge, igniting even more bad feelings.
Dave

[kim]

Hmmm, I don't know - I'll have to ask my husband's nephew. He's a SUNY Plattsburgh officer.

[frankcor]

Water cops. Aren't there enough patronage jobs in NYC already? What'll they think of next.

[Ralph]

It may come as a surprise, but those DEP and any Environmental Officer, Parks Officer, etc......ARE Police Officers. They can issue tickets for speeding, etc. It's just that their primary jurisdiction is in other areas of the law; but they are trained, equipped and authorized as any other Police Officer or State Trooper .

[frankcor]

It stands to reason they would need fully trainedlaw enforcement officers to patrol the reservoirs. But did they really need a new department with, I'm assuming, their own command structure and infrastructure?