Southern Utah University recently announced the possibility of combining campus police resources with the Cedar City Police Department.
In an interview with Fox 13 News, President Scott L. Wyatt reinforced that no sound decision has been made, and many factors will be considered before reaching a conclusion.
“There’s no decision, all we’re doing is having conversations…What we want is good, immediate response to anything that might happen on campus, a department that’s very familiar with us, willing to engage with us and our students,” Wyatt said.
The discussion primarily began due to budget cuts from the financial destruction of COVID-19 and the impact it had on Cedar City’s economy.
However, Wyatt wants to ensure students and community members are receiving “the same quality for less money, or better quality for the same money.”
According to their interviews with Fox 13, both Wyatt and the Cedar City Police Sgt. Clint Pollock agree that the possibility of absorbing the two forces could result in teamwork and a stronger police department as a whole.
Some community members are worried about the impact the decision would have on the current SUU police officers and the possibility of unemployment. Others have voiced their concern on social media that the decision is being made based on the current political climate.
On an SUU Facebook post, one user asked to “not allow the cancer of anti-police sentiment find its way into beautiful SUU.”
For those seeking more information and answers to possible questions, the university is holding a community forum tonight, July 14 at 7 p.m. Participants can join through Zoom or Facebook Live.
Story by Amanda Walton
life@suunews.net
Photos courtesy of Southern Utah University
