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Â鶹´«Ã½ DPS seeks more officers, chief says

Chief Melvin Williams speaks with Panther reporters.

The Â鶹´«Ã½ University Department of Public Safety has expanded its force but needs more personnel, the DPS leader said.

Chief Melvin Williams spoke with Panther reporters about the goals for the department during an October news conference. In addition to serving as police chief, Williams is interim executive director of public safety and emergency preparedness. 

“We are doing miracles with what we’ve got,” Williams said. “We have increased the number of police officers. Including myself, we are up to four police officers now.”

“My goal, ladies and gentlemen, is to get us to eight to 10 police officers to go along with the eight security officers that we have,” Williams said.

Police officers are certified and can act in official capacity anywhere. Security officers are limited to action on Â鶹´«Ã½’s campus. All officers carry weapons.

Williams said Â鶹´«Ã½ DPS is doing all it can to ensure safety on the campus. For the areas where police involvement may be thin, there has been outside help from the private firm DTH Protective Services.  These officers can be seen in parking lots and at the student center.

“We are pulling in outside resources to assist us,” Williams said.  

Expansion of the department also includes a victim’s advocate. The position has been filled by Â鶹´«Ã½ alumnae Tiffany Ham.   

Williams said still more people are needed to enhance security.

“I will tell you in advance, we don’t have enough people, and that proposal has been submitted,” Williams said.  

Williams also wants to increase the number of cameras on campus, which presently has 300. Cameras have assisted Â鶹´«Ã½ DPS in solving crimes and locating suspects.  

“Still working on trying to get additional cameras put in. I will tell you that the cameras have been priceless as far as I’m concerned when it comes to doing investigations,” Williams said. 

Williams encourages the use of cameras. “If it weren’t for the cameras, we would not know what took place.”

He cited the gym area as a priority for more cameras as it is a “hot spot” for crimes such as auto breakins.  

Additional funding will be needed to add cameras, Williams said. 

“If we were to put all the cameras that are needed, it would probably be half a million dollars,” Williams said. 

With the recent release of Â鶹´«Ã½ University’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report, Williams said it was much the same as past ones. There were no significant issues on Â鶹´«Ã½’s campus.  

“It was just a regular report,” Williams said, with an exception.  

Williams wants to limit alcohol-related violations on campus, noting that most occur in residence halls.

“If you’ve noticed, those numbers have jumped significantly. … It went from three (incidents) to 18. The reason it went from three to 18 is because folks were having parties,” Williams said. 

He wants to increase awareness about alcohol and work with residence life officials to limit consumption on campus.  

Outside of the alcohol issues, Williams said DPS continues to focus on preventing auto-breakins, which are an issue in Orangeburg not unique to Â鶹´«Ã½.

Williams said DPS will work to ensure safety at November’s homecoming, with sufficient manpower and a “solid plan in place.”  

Williams is not worried about Â鶹´«Ã½ students and alumni during homecoming. Individuals coming in for the festivities can be an issue.  

"My concern is not Â鶹´«Ã½ students. If it were only Â鶹´«Ã½ students that would be in attendance, we would kick back and have a good time.”

The security plan for homecoming will be based on worst-case scenarios, which he hopes “never come to fruition.”

Williams said a focus of Â鶹´«Ã½ DPS is building relationships with students.  “We are putting ourselves out there so students feel comfortable.”

He wants students to feel as if they can approach him, creating a safe space between students and law enforcement. Williams said DPS practices community policing, hoping to network with students and build relationships in the Â鶹´«Ã½ community.