Stronger Together

By: Cory Berlekamp

Email: berlekampc@findlay.edu

Twitter: @Cberlekamp

   According to the City of Findlay’s website, The University of Findlay and City of Findlay Police Department have made an agreement to assist one another on or around UF’s campus.

            As stated on the website, the mutual aid agreement was executed on Aug. 5 and took effect Aug. 12.

Campus security and the Findlay Police Department have already had a working relationship according to the University’s website but this agreement will make it easier for the two entities to assist one another.

            In the post announcing the partnership on the City of Findlay’s website, Mayor Christina Muryn stated how this agreement solidifies the assistance that had already been going on between the groups.

            “Members of both the City of Findlay Police Department and University of Findlay Campus Police currently work well together,” Muryn said. “We want to ensure that coordination and communication continue. This agreement formalizes the support we can provide to each other if the need arises.”

            Though the agreement was signed recently, according to David Emsweller, Vice President of Student Affairs at the University of Findlay, the document has been talked about before.

            “We discussed having an agreement when the UF Campus Police Department was created,” said Emsweller. “But it was just in the last two months that we formally proceeded with finalizing one.”

            According to Emsweller there was not a specific event that sparked interest in finalizing the agreement.

            “While both parties do work well together currently, having a mutual aid agreement more formally supports the expectation of a collaborative relationship,” stated Emsweller. “There was no real catalyst for this, but it is something UF has wanted in place to complement the Mutual Aid Agreement we have with the Hancock County Sheriff’s Department.”

In the past, the Findlay police have notified Emsweller of crimes that have happened near or on campus. From there, Emsweller was able to notify students and faculty of any incident via email or text.

Emsweller was quoted in a Pulse article in February 2018 about two fatal shootings that happened within a mile of campus in just three months. The first incident was on Nov. 27, 2017 after Brian A. McQuistion, 42, was found with a gunshot wound to his head. The second incident was on Feb. 11, 2018 after Jeffery L. Gary, 56, was found after being shot twice.

The incidents had nothing to do with the University but Emsweller still was able to notify everyone on campus with the help of the Findlay Police Department.

“For us to do that, we have to be notified by the Findlay police that this is happening because absent that notification, we wouldn’t know anything,” said Emsweller. “So our people try and stay on in contact with Findlay PD so if something does happen, we can try to notify campus as quickly as possible.”

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