Public Safety Advisory Committee

Code Enforcement Strategies: History

In early 1997, the Public Safety Advisory Committee began to revise the 1987 ASU Non-Pedestrian Transportation Code. In April 1999, after more than two years of dedicated effort, the Public Safety Advisory Committee released the revised policy, renamed the ASU Main Campus Transportation Code, to the ASU Coalition for Mall Safety for its consideration. In October 1999, after six months of nearly continuous dialogue, the CMS returned the Code to the PSAC for further action. In November 1999, the PSAC released the Code for public review, during which numerous presentations were made to over 200 people in various campus groups including: Ubiquity, Campus Reps, Campus Environment Team, Classified Staff Council, Facilities Management, ASU Police, Residence Hall Association, ASASU University Affairs Committee, ASASU Senate, Student Faculty Policy Committee and the Academic Senate.

As a result of this extensive public review, the Code expresses a broad community consensus about how to manage ASU's mall resources. Also, it was designed to be implemented without undue disruption or expense.

On November 2, 2000, the Code was approved for implementation in the Fall 2001 semester. Implementation includes on-going public education about the new policy and the role of the campus community in the management of university mall spaces.

There are a variety of educational strategies under consideration including signage outlining the most important provisions of the Code, a brochure summarizing the main points to be sent out via several information conduits, educational contacts by enforcement officers, the Mall Safety diversionary class and other forms of public information supported by the Mall Safety Fund such as web pages, hardcopies at key locations and advertisements.

Regarding enforceability of the Code, the policy is designed to facilitate the effectiveness of enforcement officers as they help create a culture on the malls that reinforces the values of safety and courtesy. This is because Code violations are easy to identify and most people agree they are the most important problems to address. Also, the Code is quite flexible, allowing enforcement officers to adapt to various circumstances.

Regarding the effectiveness of enforcement, it is not possible to comprehensively and/or continuously monitor any large campus or to enforce every violation of any set of rules. Fortunately, neither is necessary to provide an effective tool for behavior modification through education. Only a modest, albeit consistent, enforcement presence is needed at key locations and times. Fortunately, the ASU Police already patrol the malls; the point of the Code is to provide up-to-date policy tools they need to help the community promote a safe & courteous mall environment. Also, mall enforcement can be implemented in conjunction with other activities, such as building relationship with the community according to the univerity's goals for community based policing, which has numerous benefits for the police, the institution and the campus community.

Regarding the allocation of resources, that is an operational prerogative of the institution and the ASU Police Department, and not within the scope of a policy to address. Like all funding decisions, the needs of mall enforcement must be addressed in the context of the many other needs of the institution and of the ASU Police Department, which is charged with significant responsibilities that must not be compromised. Accordingly, to facilitate all the functions of the ASU Police Department, including mall enforcement, the Public Safety Advisory Committee and Coalition for Mall Safety are keenly interested in supporting measures that promote the efficient utilization of resources and actively seeks ways for the university community to help the ASU Police Department accomplish its mission. The Code is one such measure and is just the beginning of a process that will influence the evolution of the ASU Main Campus.

PSAC Information for all four campuses

Tempe Campus	Polytechnic Campus	West Campus	Downtown Phoenix Campus
Stan Klonowski, Chair	Al Brown, Chair	Steffany Knirsch, Chair	Kimberly Novak, Chair