Spring Break
New police substation opens in Reid
Jack Willems
Issue date: 10/10/08 Section: News
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The substation will improve the accessibility students in the area have to the police department, said Gary Crain, UAPD public information officer.
There is a huge student population living on the north end of campus, and the substation makes the department more accessible to that population, he said.
"This location makes us like your next door neighbor," Crain said.
The department wants to keep an officer on that end of campus 24 hours a day, patrolling on foot, bicycle or Segway, UAPD Director Steve Gahagans said.
The officer may be patrolling the campus and not in the substation, but the number to contact the UAPD is posted on the front of the door, Gahagans said.
The department is also planning to do crime prevention programs out of the substation, including programs about avoiding sexual assault and theft, said Reggie Houser, the assistant director for Facilities Administration.
The substation also will serve students who have questions about dealing with bad personal relationships that could lead to harassment or thefts.
"Students have already come in here to talk to officers and ask questions," Crain said.
Increasing interaction between the UAPD and the student body is one of the purposes of the substation, Houser said.
Houser, who lobbied for the space and funds to build the substation, said he hopes having a substation connected to Reid Hall will make students more comfortable around police. The room next to the substation will soon become a living room with a television and kitchen, Houser said.
"There's just a barrier between students and police, and it's unnecessary," Houser said. "That barrier needs to be broken down."
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