SMPD hinders trust with students, ASG leaders say

Oct 26 2009 - 11:42pm | Bianca Davis

A bill was read stating the disapproval of recent San Marcos Police Department actions at Monday’s ASG meeting.

Sen. Matthew Posey, political science senior, authored the bill to show public disapproval of the city’s decision to allow film crews of the upcoming G4 show Campus PD to accompany ride-alongs with the San Marcos Police Department.

Posey said SMPD did not properly inform the public prior to allowing the filming. He said students informed him there were cops with cameras, and upon further investigation, discovered no one within the university knew anything about it.

“There was very little information disseminated to the university and it was just an act by San Marcos Police Department,” Posey said. “It was an act made without any consultation with the university whatsoever.”

ASG President Chris Covo said members of Achieving Community Together should have informed university officials. Not informing the university, he said, goes against what ACT represents.

“They knew this was going on and they never told anyone,” Covo said. “No university officials, no UPD officers, no students. That doesn’t coincide with what we’re trying to do with Achieving Community Together and with the community and the relationship we’re tying to build.”

Posey said the decision not to communicate with the university hinders the bond  A.C.T. is trying to create.

“To go out and do this sort of thing really hurts our trust with the city,” Posey said. “A lot of emotion came out of that. Thinking we’ve got this cooperation, this tie, then all of a sudden learning that without informing us at all whatsoever, they behind our backs came through with this new idea to show us on nationwide television in a negative light.”

Posey said the show will not aid in breaking barriers between the students and the community.

“It goes against the whole idea that we’re cooperating, that we’re trying to develop this welcoming, warm community to put a TV camera in the squad cars,” Posey said. “Which (this) is not going to do anything, its not going to stop crime, its not going to develop any sort of program that is going to make kids not want to do anything.”

Covo said the bill serves as a means of official representation on behalf of the students. An official letter will be sent to all members of City Council from the City Council Liaison Committee.

“This is to show that on behalf of the student body as a whole, that we don’t understand,” Covo said.  “That we don’t think this was a good thing for us especially since we didn’t know what was going on.”

Posey said the effects of Campus PD could be severe.

“If one person watches that and decides not to come to Texas State for it, that hurts our retention,” Posey said. “If one employer  sees that after considering one student, that affects the future of that student.”

ASG officials said the San Marcos Police Department will not be depicted in a negative light, and the students will see the ramifications.

“The university is going to look bad, the students are going to look bad, and we’re going to have to cope with that,” Posey said. “The San Marcos Police Department is  going to leave with whatever benefits they acquire.”

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