Deputy chief responds to claim of police not doing job

People who report crimes may not always hear back from police officers who investigate the report.

Deputy Chief Joe Curiel of the district department of public safety explained why no officer contacted people who reported incidents of possible drug usage and assault April 1 in Moody Learning Center.

Psychology sophomore Matthew Burger reported a male student assaulting the student's girlfriend, and when he tried to find the male student again, found two males in the third floor restroom of Moody snorting cocaine.

He said the department of public safety did a poor job in responding in time, contacting him and doing their job.

Curiel said when the department is notified about crime incidents, officers may not always contact the person who reported the crime.

If someone is seeing a crime being committed, he said, it is best for the witness to call the dispatch themselves as they had a firsthand view of incidents.

There is a procedure officers must follow: Dispatch takes the call, dispatch takes information, dispatch sends an officer, an officer arrives on the scene, the officer evaluates the crime scene, the officer takes action, a report is made, the criminal investigation department, or CID, is contacted for further investigation if needed. The reporting party may be contacted only if more information is needed. Then if necessary, charges are made, then the case is closed.

There are four divisions under the administrative side of the CID; they are criminal, internal affairs, communications and clerical.

He also said that there are instances where officers will respond to one reported crime over another. For instance, if someone reports an assault, and at the same time, another person reports, someone smoking on campus, an officer will respond to the assault call before the smoking call.

He said the department responds to all reports but some have priority over others.

Usually, the department will get contact information from the reporting party, he said.

Curiel said officers must act accordingly once they arrive at the scene, and whatever the situation is dictates what happens next.

Burger was not contacted because he was not seen at the crime scene and had Librarian Tom Bahlinger call dispatch.

Since the department was told the situation of possible drug usage and assault by a third party, and it is best to speak to a witness, the librarian was also not contacted, Curiel said.

On the other hand, Curiel said it is the job of the officer to first report to the scene.

If someone reported an incident and sees an officer, they, too, can grab the attention from the officer, that is, if they feel what they reported was important enough.

As to the powder substance on the floor that Bahlinger called in for Burger, Curiel said when the officer got to the restroom, nothing was on the floor, there was no suspicious movement and the person who reported the crime was not present, therefore, there was no need to contact anybody.

It is preferred that if anyone sees a crime, call and inform dispatch of the alleged criminal's features and other useful information, such as if the person was accompanied by someone, the type of clothes worn and the direction the person headed.

He said after the department is notified and the reporting party is not contacted soon, the person should call back. The number is 485-0099.

It is important to report crime, he said. It makes it safer for everyone.

"If you see it, call it," he said.

If someone does not have a phone to contact district police, Curiel said they should have someone call for them. If crime is seen and the witness has no phone, the witness should also question if the case is something to call and report first or follow whoever is committing crime for more information as to what exactly is going on.

For more information or to report a crime call 485-0099.

In an emergency call 222-0911 or use one of the blue-lighted emergency phones on campus.