Campus police
By GARY SEACREST
Nebraskan Staff Writer
University students usually
only make fun of the "campus
cops." But recently students
have come to the defense of
these men in blue.
The status of the campus
police is being threatened by
the Spelts Commission, which
investigated the disruptive ac
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tions on the Lincoln Campus
last spring. The Commission
recommended the University
explore the possibility of
relieving the campus police of
law enforcement functions and
depend entirely on the city and
county police for law enforce
ment. ASUN President Steve
Tiwald opposes the Com-
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role questioned
mission's recommendation.
"It's important that a com
munity like the University have
a police force that knows how
to handle the special problems
which arise on the campus," he
said.
Campus police Chief Gail
Gade defended his force by
saying: "We feel that since we
are here we should do the job
and not . have to call in an
outside law enforcement agen
cy." "The city and the county
don't have the men to spare to
cover the.campus, added Gade.
'In order for them to ade
quately cover their jurisdiction
and the campus they would
have to hire more men."
The Board of Regents have
the authority to alter the
structure of the campus police.
But one regent, Edward
Schwartzkopf of Lincoln, op
poses stripping the campus
police of their law enforcement
functions.
"You have to give the
University community the
chance to govern itself," said
Schwartzkopf. "The campus
police ought to be gfren the
cahnce to handle any disruptive
action."
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Another controversial pro
posal to the Spells Commission
recommends that University
policy be studied with a view to
eliminate channels of
discussion and U n i v e r s ity
discipline now used before
police are called on campus for
any purpose. The Commission
stated that present University
policy on disruptive actions can
be interpreted as making the
campus a "quasi-sanctuary"
for law violators.
The Lincoln Police have
jurisdiction on campus, but do
not usually go onto the campus
unless requested by University
authorities. This is the same
for the State Patrol which
legally has the power to en
force the law anywhere in the
state.
Schwartzkopf said there was
"nothing wrong" with the se
quence of steps the University
uses in coping with disruptive
actions. However, he added
that timing can be a problem in
the University's policy .on
campus disorders.
Although the Spelts Com
mission recommended new
ways to handle future disrup
tions, it concluded that the Ad-
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to the
Ewing Street Times
Room o Student
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ministration's use of discussion
and negotiation of issues were
effective in bringing the
Military and Naval Science
Building occupation to a
peaceful end last May.
"It seems to me," said
Tiwald, "that what the Spelts
Commission did was con
gratulate everyone for keeping
the campus peaceful and then
turned around and recom
mended that all the flexibility
which was important In keep
ing the peace be done away
with."
"I interpret the Spelts Com
mission report as saying that
under the circumstances the
Administration did a good job,
but in future incidents, with
experience behind us, we could
improve our policies," said
University Chancellor Durward
B. Varner.
"Many if not most of the
recommendations make sense,
added Varner, "but I have
some reservattons."
Whatever the regents decide
to do regarding the Spelts
Commission recommendations,
it is almost certain that
legislation dealing with campus
disorders will be introduced in
the 1971 Nebraska Unicameral.
Sen. C. W. Holmquist of the
Legislative Council's executive
board said he would not call
for a legislative investigation
into the spring demonstrations
on campus.
However, the Oakland
senator said he favored a law
providing for the mandatory
expulsion of students who
violate laws during a campus
disruption. "I Imagine there
will be several laws introduced
like that," said Holmquist.
Union
PAGE 2
THE NEBRASKAN
WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23, 1970