PSU & city police sign new memorandum

  Thursday, August 27, 2015 2:00 AM
  News

Pittsburg, KS

The police departments for the City of Pittsburg and Pittsburg State University have worked closely together for many years, but recent growth in the city and at the university have caused the two entities to revise and renew a joint memorandum of understanding.

“We did this primarily because of the growth we’ve had in Pittsburg,” said Pittsburg Police Chief Mendy Hulvey. “Overall, it is still reflective of what we have done jointly for some time.”

Typically, PSU officers patrol and respond to calls from student living areas off campus. That practice will continue under the MOU. The agreement does define the geographical scope of the PSU officers’ jurisdiction, although that jurisdiction can be extended in certain situations “to protect the health, safety and welfare of students, faculty, staff of the university and citizens of the city.”

Mike McCracken, director of University Police and Parking Services, said the MOU also includes references to some of the federal requirements that apply to universities.

“The university is required by federal law to collect and make certain statistics available to the public,” McCracken said. “The university is also required to maintain an emergency notification system to alert the campus community about emergencies and dangerous situations.”

As part of the MOU, both the city and the university agree to work together to provide education and training to officers. Some of that training may include the university’s obligations under federal law and the differences between the university’s administrative processes and the criminal process.

“The city and the university have a long history of working closely to make this a great place for both the citizens of Pittsburg and the campus community,” McCracken said. “The memorandum of understanding helps all of us do that job better.”