MIT Campus Police have been authorized to hire four officers and one sergeant and purchase one cruiser to patrol portions of the Back Bay on a regular basis starting in February.
To implement the patrols, Campus Police Chief Anne P. Glavin has asked Sheriff Richard J. Rouse to appoint all MIT police as deputy sheriffs, giving them full police powers in Suffolk County. He agreed.
In announcing the new policy, Chief Glavin said, "I am very happy to have our department add the Boston-based fraternities, sororities and independent living groups [FSILGs] to our patrol responsibilities. Over the last six months we have worked with our students to develop a closer working relationship. Having a continuous presence in Boston will enable us to assist students with neighborhood issues and with Boston and [Boston University] police relationships. Having visited with many residences this past fall, I know there are many dedicated students who want to work hard to improve the MIT student image in Boston. We are happy to help them work toward this goal."
Officers assigned to Back Bay patrol will perform all duties carried out by officers on campus, including answering medical calls, making arrests and issuing alcohol citations. In addition, they will be expected to foster relationships with neighbors of MIT residences. They will patrol from 6pm-2am, seven days a week.
The patrols will cover portions of Bay State Road, Beacon Street, Commonwealth Avenue, the Fenway and Hereford Street, where many FSILGs are located. Campus Police have been informally patrolling these streets on weekends since September, but the new commitment will greatly increase their presence in the area.
The new hires will increase the number of MIT police to 60.
A version of this article appeared in MIT Tech Talk on January 13, 1999.
