CC Minutes - 07/14/03 Mtg - Laserfiche WebLink

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level crimes on campus. This ordinance would authorize the University's Department of Public Safety (DPS) to address these misdemeanors, specifically possession of less than one ounce of marijuana and crimes involving the abuse of alcohol. She recommended the adoption of the ordinance, calling it fiscally responsible to do so. Council President Pap~ opened the public hearing. Dan Williams, 1167 East 22nd Avenue, introduced himself as the Vice President of Administration of the University of Oregon. He expressed the university's support for the ordinance. He stressed the value and implications of adopting the proposal from the university's point of view. He felt that a natural outcome of the mutually supportive relationship of the EPD and the DPS was the community policing presence in the University neighborhood. He said that the proposed amendment to the ordinance would aid in sharing the resources of the university and the community dedicated to the general health and safety of the community in a way that would be more effective, while strengthening the positive relationship that exists between the EPD and the DPS. He thanked the council for its thoughtful consideration of the request. Anne Leavitt, 4099 Hilyard, said that she served as Vice President of Student Affairs. She related that the issue had been thoroughly discussed among the student government leaders and the issues that had been raised were addressed. She reported that it was believed the number of citations would not change, that five out of every six citations would continue to go to judicial affairs. She stated that it was hoped the citation process would increase safety for all parties, and be more efficient, effective, and satisfactory as it would not detain either the officer or the student for quite as long. She added that students had been reassured that visitors and members of the campus community would be subject to the same consequences as students were, and that to address the concern that the campus environment could be altered by this change, a public advisory council to the department of public safety had been formed. She averred that the student population had been sufficiently noticed of this change during the latter part of the school year. She advocated for passing the ordinance at this time in order to facilitate officer training in time for the beginning of the new school year in September. Thomas Hicks, 1881 Holly Avenue, spoke as the interim director for the University of Oregon Department of Safety. He asserted that enabling university officers to enforce certain municipal violations would provide the officers with additional tools to encourage young adults to make responsible choices regarding alcohol and drug use. He felt that this would encourage the efficient use of law enforcement resources. He noted that the amendment would reduce the amount of time a person would be detained because the incident would no longer be required to be first investigated by a University Public Safety officer and then by a Eugene Police Department officer. He stated that the amendment would clarify legal issues surrounding the enforcement of violations, particularly with regard to occurrences in the presence of a public safety officer and would reduce the liability of University Public Safety officers when confiscating contraband such as small amounts of marijuana. He noted that, currently, a response from the Eugene Police Department was required whenever drug paraphernalia or any amount of a controlled substance MINUTES--Eugene City Council July 14, 2003 Page 12 Regular Meeting