Joining forces: Chapel Hill Police Department wise to extend University police’s jurisdiction

The Chapel Hill Police Department and University police are teaming up. And the campus and the town are safer for it.

Both groups are now working closer together to help protect students and citizens alike.

On July 1, University police began exercising newfound authority in the area just north of campus.

The impact will probably be most felt in Granville Towers, which the University recently acquired.

This is a highly concentrated student population living off campus — and prior to this agreement, University police didn’t have jurisdiction there.

The agreement will help to fill this void and let campus police help protect students.

According to the agreement, the University will now be able to station police near Granville Towers as well as the parking lot around them.

The Chapel Hill Police Department is also extending jurisdiction of University police to other areas around Franklin Street.

That means that University police can now step in when they see crimes being committed in a place that is under the city’s control.

Before the agreement, they were basically regular civilians if they stumbled onto a crime in progress.

They could call 911 and hope the criminal tripped and fell onto University territory, but not much else.

This change is a good one.

Now security on campus is stronger than before, and the University is a safer place in which to live and learn.

Looking for a cherry on top?

This change comes at no cost to the student body.

Yes, tuition is going up.

Yes, fees are starting to mount.

And yes, the economy is still rocky.

But at the end of the day, there are still things moving in a proper direction.

It’s good to know that student security is one area that’s being tightened up.