Athens Police Department and Ohio University Police Department signed a mutual-assistance agreement with guidelines for joint efforts to more effectively enforce the law on campus and city property.
The reaffirming of the mutual-aid agreement, which went into effect Monday, provides for the requesting of assistance, serving of arrests and search warrants outside of each department’s jurisdiction and the ability for university police to enforce the law in case of violations occurring on city property.
Athens Chief of Police Tom Pyle said the earliest mutual-assistance agreement he could recall was from the late ’70s and has improved the service of both departments.
“I think it improves the ability of both departments. It’s a benefit to both OU and Athens to have that extra resource,” Pyle said.
Both departments may request assistance from the other department for routine incidents. During major emergency events, whether on city or campus property, request for assistance can be initiated by one of several officials including the mayor and either chief of police or the president of the university.
Following the notification of the other department, either may serve arrests or search warrants on city or university property. Under the agreement, university police may take action for violations observed on city property, not including minor criminal and traffic violations unless deemed appropriate.
Either department can assume jurisdiction in areas of contiguous borders. Athens police’s jurisdiction is limited to that of the city limits, and university police’s jurisdiction is primarily university property.
The mutual-assistance agreement is no new thing and is found in other university towns throughout Ohio.
OU Chief of Police Andrew Powers said he sees the benefits gained from the agreement as well.
“It gives our departments a clear framework in which to work together,” Powers said.
Ohio State University has had a similar mutual-aid agreement between Ohio State Police Department and Columbus Police Department for a number of years, said Ohio State Chief of Police Paul Denton.
“We (OSPD and CPD) worked more frequently over the years when we entered into the mutual-agreement,” Denton said.
Columbus police does not require the mutual-assistance agreement with Ohio State police to patrol campus because they have concurrent jurisdiction, but the agreement allows them to request assistance from Ohio State police in emergency events.
Powers said the agreement is logical because the departments are more similar than different.
“The mutual-aid agreement is an additional tool to help us accomplish our shared goal,” Powers said.
bm471311@ohiou.edu
Correction: The photo caption has been updated to correct the photographer's name.
