Campus cops: all the powers of real cops, none of the accountability

Michael from Muckrock writes, "Want some transparency from your local police? Then public records law is probably on your side if you're in the US — unless you happen to be a college student. MuckRock's Shawn Musgrave looks at the broad exemptions that give campus police almost all the rights and powers of regular cops, without any of the public accountability."

Sworn campus police may carry weapons, make arrests and use force, just like any other officer. Statute grants special state police "the same power to make arrests as regular police officers" for crimes committed on property owned or used by their institutions. Particularly in Boston, campus borders are difficult to trace, and some of the most populous areas lie within university police jurisdiction.

Harvard's campus spans both sides of the Charles River. Its officers, in kind, patrol not only the Yard, but also the business school in Allston and the medical school in Longwood. Twenty sworn officers have jurisdiction over Emerson College's cluster of buildings near the Boston Common and the Financial District, while Berklee College of Music's seven officers can make stops and arrest suspects along the heavily trafficked Massachusetts Avenue.

In July 2013, the top court in Massachusetts ruled that campus police jurisdiction also encompasses areas where students, faculty, and campus visitors "might be exposed to danger." Many institutions also deputize officers through their respective county sheriff's office to further extend off-campus authority.

Private colleges, public safety: few disclosure requirements for campus police {Shawn Musgrave/Muckrock]

(Image: KRON 4 Coverage of the Watertown Mass. Manhunt , A Name Like Shields Can Make You Defensive, CC-BY)