Mesa Legend - ARCHIVES - Vol. 38, Issue 2


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Volume 38 Issue 2
September 19, 2000

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College safety pleads case for expansion

BY LEAH TIDWELL
MESA LEGEND
Submitted September 19, 2000

MCC’s College Safety Program receives full support from administration, faculty and students, but they need more space to fully implement the program, according to a MCC certified peace officer.

"One of our main problems right now is the size of our facility here. It’s quite small for the staff we have," said MCC Captain Dennis Coking.

Coking said there are more than 30 employees in MCC college safety, including three certified peace officers, and "not enough office space for all of them."

Recent improvements that have been made to the program include a pay scale adjustment and upgrades on the dispatching system, according to Coking. Next month, $93,000 worth of new emergency phones, which last year were malfunctioning throughout the campus, will be installed.

But, Coking said it has been brought to the attention of MCC administration that college safety is in need of more room.

However, many other departments are in need of space, and administration has to decide who will receive it first.

"The radio station, KJZZ, will be moving, and that building will be turned over to the campus. So, we will, over the next several months, determine the use of that building," said Dean of Administrative Services Ron Etter. "But there are a lot of demands on space. So, we need to evaluate and set some priorities."

The College Safety program is looking to submit a proposal for the KJZZ building, knowing the facility will be open for occupancy in April or May of next year, and are ready to jump on the opportunity to receive it.

"We hope to get a proposal going within the next 30 days, to find out what’s available and to see what they can give us, if anything," said Director of College Safety Vince Moran.

However, college safety does have one point in their favor, according to Etter, who said one of the major factors brought up in the 1994 bond election was safety and security on campus.

"It was told to us by the voting public who voted for that bond that safety was an issue. So, we need to devote resources to public safety," Etter said. "We want to stay true to that bond."