Suffolk University President Marisa Kelly announced the next step in the arming of the university’s police officers in a statement to the community April 16.
The announcement included the final report made by the Suffolk University Police Department Arming Advisory Committee, which was formed in September and comprised of faculty, staff and students, with the goal of providing “a comprehensive framework for campus safety that aligns with our values as a community and that would help ensure our collective safety,” Kelly wrote in the announcement.
In the report, the committee members described a “community care model” for campus safety, mental health response strategies, implementation of further trainings for officers and community policing and engagement strategies.
In the “community care model,” the report described six “core pillars” for the implementation – transparency, model behavior, progressive, informed perspective, trust and diversity – achieved “through an integrated response model; proper and ongoing training; community policing; and an ongoing community advisory committee,” the report stated.
SUPD officers currently respond to mental health emergencies with a “co-response” model, according to the report, under which police response differs depending on if the emergency is in a residence hall or academic building. In residence halls, SUPD officers remain in the building’s lobby in all cases where it is possible, and students are transported to an emergency facility or Suffolk’s Counseling, Health and Wellness office, or evaluated via telehealth. As stated in the report, the recruitment and retention of mental health staff and unarmed response for these emergencies is key for the university to consider, the committee advised.
Kelly said in the announcement the current co-response model will be maintained.
The committee also recommended, in addition to existing training for SUPD officers, that all officers undergo a psychological evaluation, hands-on skills training and professional development training. The committee also recommended improved communications with the Suffolk community about SUPD policies and community engagement events, as well as data collection and analysis.
The exact timeline of the SUPD arming implementation is not known, said Kelly, but the community will be notified “when that timing is clear,” she said in the announcement.
