Joshua Busby, the Dean of Students for Langston University, recently revealed in a meeting with the SGA Senate that the Langston University Police Department (LUPD) is now umbrellaed under the Office of Student Affairs. This change became effective in July, a call former President Kent Smith made before his retirement.
Traditionally LUPD has been under the Office of Student Affairs, but this changed during former President Smith’s time in office. In the meeting with the SGA Senate, Busby indicated that things would change within LUPD. However, the Office of Public Relations stated that the only change would be at the administrative level.
“LUPD isn’t changing its operations on any grand scale. The only change is really at the administrative level. LUPD now reports to Dean Busby,” said the Public Relations Office. With all the changes in administration across campus, it made sense for LUPD to return to the Office of Student Affairs, according to PR.
“Obviously, student affairs and the police department worked really closely together because of housing and because of, you know, situations that might happen involving students,” said Langston University’s Public Relations Office.
Busby is optimistic that this change will bridge the gap between both LUPD and students. However, not everyone is as hopeful that this will bring about meaningful change in LUPD’s operations.
“If he [Busby] sees what we see, then maybe stuff will change. But if not, it
will probably just stay the same,” said Takiya Gibson, a sophomore criminal
justice major.
Increasingly, students have become more vocal about the negative interactions they have had with LUPD. A large population of students own cars on campus or commute. For those students, there is an increased chance of interaction with LUPD. Some students, like Gibson, feel like they are being harassed by university police.
“I shouldn’t feel like I’m driving on campus and then when I randomly
see LUPD my stomach goes…drops,” Gibson said.
Gibson says she has had two serious interactions with LUPD, and they have both been negative. The most notable encounter cost her $1,200 and six hours in Logan County Jail. A year ago, Gibson was pulled over for not stopping at a stop sign for a complete three seconds. She admits to driving without a license but feels the crime does not fit the punishment.
“I found out that they weren’t supposed to be sending any students to the unit because the females unit was full. So if it was a noncriminal offense, they weren’t supposed to send me over there,” says Gibson about being held in Logan County Jail. (The Gazette has not yet confirmed the legal validity of this assertion).
Another student, Aston Foster, a junior criminal justice/correction and psychology major, feels unsupported by both administration and LUPD.
“We’re supposed to be able to go to LUPD if we have anything. I personally feel like I have to do everything on my own because LUPD is not going to do what they are supposed to do,” Foster said.
Earlier this semester, Foster’s car was keyed, and sugar was poured down her tank. Despite there being cameras placed in front of Young Hall where the crime occurred, she was told the footage was too grainy to see anything. According to Foster, when she later asked for the footage of the incident, she was told by LUPD that she legally could not obtain any footage.
For Gibson, she feels like LUPD is more concerned about hitting a quota rather than helping the students. “Police departments is supposed to protect and serve like, I don’t feel like they do that at all,” Gibson said, “They… I feel like they are trying to…fill a quota.”
Some students suggested that to better the relationship between the student body and LUPD, changes should be made within the system. The most significant of those recommendations asks for the department to take a new training course so they are better trained in how to interact with students. Gibson recommended that Busby, as new overseer of LUPD, should shadow some of the officers for a day, just so see what they do and how they interact with students daily. Change does not just happen overnight but, students hope that with this new change, the relationship between LUPD and the student body
can change for the better.
Aniyah Robinson
Staff Writer
Aniyah Robinson is a junior broadcast
journalism major.
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