2/28/2012: Becky Metrick of the ODE writes on UO Police Chief Doug Tripp’s upcoming 16 week course at the Oregon Public Safety Academy in Salem:
Tripp and Hansen, who have had no previous official police force experience, are required to go through the 16 weeks of training that any new police officer would be asked to go through. …
UO’s Police Chief has no previous police force experience or training but (as of last time I looked, about 6 months ago) we already pay him more than Eugene pays its Chief of Police, who has a far larger staff, budget, and more complicated job. I wonder who is minding the store for UO while Tripp is in training, and what it’s costing? When Frances Dyke and Doug Tripp were pushing this idea to the faculty, OUS, and legislature, they told us the conversion could *save* UO money – $73,000 as I recall. I’m thinking we were lied to.
Metrick also gets this interesting quote, which touches on the non-financial costs of the decision to convert from bike riding public safety officers to police interceptor cruising armed & sworn police:
“When you think about it, the types of people who have signed up for this type of law enforcement work, it’s really different from the population you’re dealing with, assuming a core mission,” Kelly McIver, the communications director for DPS said. “And it will be a huge hurdle to overcome because not all of our officers have a desire to be police officers.”
yet another example of failed leadership. false budgets, incompetent management. Questions:
do we have both an internal and an external ‘civilian’ review board already in place who are not appointed by the administration? with these in place and in a better atmosphere of earned trust in our leadership, I could support officers having quick, armed backup from an armed officer(s), who have guns available to them in a real emergency (sadly our world has changed), but not hanging from a belt as they walk around campus. Of course if officers only ride around in 4x4s, my point is moot. please don’t shoot DEAD DUCK
So, let me get this straight. You are suggesting that when the armed gunman comes to your class, that DPS runs away from trouble to go get their guns, then run back to the scene of death and mayhem and then take care of the matter? Is that what you are saying?
Most people here think that U of O is a safe place. They think that no crime happens on campus and that no criminals come to campus. What they dont realize is that crimes happen on campus everyday and that the criminals that DPS comes in contact with are the same bad criminals that the Eugene Police Department, Springfield Police Department and Lane County Sheriffs office deals with daily. I did a ride along with DPS and was shock at the number of criminals that come on campus to try and victimize students such as myself. I recommend any that thinks DPS is a joke to do a ride along with them and see what these men and women deal with on a daily basis.
I heard many almost identical comments from DPS employees last year – almost word for word identical – when they were trying to convince OUS and the legislature to go along with the conversion to a sworn, armed police force.
For the record, I do not think DPS or its employees are a joke. I think the conversion to sworn, armed police is a mistake and that its benefits have been oversold, its costs underestimated (by millions) and the details kept hidden from the very people DPS is supposed to serve.
This is only the beginning. Tripp also needs to obtain a DPSST Management certificate within 2 years too (OAR 259-008-0076). If he doesn’t have the Basic Certification, he won’t have the other. He’ll also need to get or qualify for the Intermediate, Advanced and Supervisory certifications for the Management certification.
Thanks Anon. It sounds like you are quite informed, and I appreciate your helping inform our readers.
UO Matters.
Not really. If you read the OAR; you will see that is not the case. Read sections 12-17 of that OAR. Or… maybe read the whole thing.
Is it entirely possible that the ODE printed incorrect information about the Chief Officer and the sergeant? Or is the ODE gospel? You could always ask, but that wouldnt suit your needs now would it?
I assumed those that posted on here were ‘educated’. Guess not…
What are you talking about? Here’s the complete OAR requirements for a police chief:
259-008-0076
Eligibility Requirements for Police Chief
(1) In addition to the minimum standards for employment and training as a law enforcement officer as described in OAR 259-008-0010 and 259-008-0025, a person accepting employment as a Police Chief must:
(a) Be currently certified as a police officer by the Department; or
(b) If the person is not currently certified as a police officer by the Department, the person accepting employment as Police Chief must obtain certification no later than 18 months after accepting such employment.
(2) Any person accepting employment as Police Chief must obtain Management certification by the Department within two (2) years of accepting employment as Police Chief, unless an extension is requested in writing and granted by the Department.
(3) The Department may grant an extension of time to obtain a Management certificate upon presentation of evidence by a law enforcement unit that a Police Chief was unable to obtain the certification within the required time limit due to being on leave, or any other reasonable cause as determined by the Department. No extension will be granted beyond one year.
(4) The employing agency must maintain documentation of a Police Chief’s qualifications.
(5) The employing agency must notify the Department within 10 days of the date that a Police Chief is appointed, resigns, retires, terminates employment, is discharged, deceased, is on leave, or transfers within a law enforcement unit, or private or public safety agency as required by OAR 259-008-0020.
(6) Failure to obtain a Management Certificate as required in section (2) or (3) above, will result in the immediate recall of the Police Chief’s certification:
(a) A Police Chief with a recalled certification is prohibited from performing the duties of, or working in any capacity as, a Police Chief or Acting Police Chief;
(b) Prior to recertification of a Police Chief’s recalled certificate, the employing agency head must submit the following:
(A) A written request for recertification, along with an explanation of the individual’s current job duties and why the Department should recertify the individual if they are not currently in a certifiable police officer position; or
(B) Verification that a Management Certificate was obtained, if the individual is requesting reinstatement as a Police Chief.
(c) A police chief whose certification has been recalled pursuant to this rule must submit a completed F-4 (Personnel Action Form) identifying that the individual is no longer serving as, or performing the duties of, police chief prior to reactivating their police certification;
(d) A Police Chief who fails to recertify within 2-1/2 years is subject to the provisions of OAR 259-008-0025(2);
(e) A Police Chief who fails to recertify within five (5) years is subject to the provisions of OAR 259-008-0025(1)(c).
Stat. Auth.: ORS 181.640, 181.665
Stats. Implemented: ORS 181.640, 181.665
Hist.: DPSST 13-2005, f. & cert. ef. 12-7-05; DPSST 9-2007, f. & cert. ef. 8-15-07; DPSST 7-2010, f. 7-15-10, cert. ef. 8-1-10
You can either read through the OAR for the requirements for Management certificate or go to DPSST’s website which also lays it out.
Sorry, forgot the link to the OAR: http://arcweb.sos.state.or.us/pages/rules/oars_200/oar_259/259_008.html
UO pays Tripp MORE than the City of Eugene Police Chief????
I had to read that sentence several times, in disbelief. WTH?
More training…more money!! WTH!!
This whole police plan knew from the start it would not save any money. This was a red herring thrown up by Doug Trip and Frances Dyke to sell this plan that many fools bought. If someone can get the info it would be interesting to see the budget from last year and this year compared. Doug Trips raise last year accounts for 18% of the $70,000 this was going to either save or cost the school. Go to the DPS website and look at all the organizational charts. These charts show just how much more it is costing for police. 5 different branches with directors and chiefs and sergeants and lieutenants and business managers and a lot more? I would be interested in knowing what the hiring ratio is for DPS compared to other campus units. I wonder how much the special cop retirement is going to cost us all. I love hearing that someone with no police experience is going to be in charge of a police department and is learning about being a cop on the job while making more money than the city police chief. I wonder if it is discovered that any of the information provided to get this law passed was knowingly wrong if there would be any sort of action that could be taken. I don’t think it would be that hard to prove would it?
to anonymous ‘let me get this straight’ Yes, yours is a relevant question, and if I or someone else reports a threatening person with a gun, The dispatcher should send an armed officer, and I presume that the most rapid response would be by an officer driving a vehicle equipped with a gun who is either already patrolling or at campus dps. If there is a case to be made that this approach is impractical, i haven’t heard it yet, but I would be happy to accept the recommendation of a committee of campus representatives after they have a chance to consider it. until then, yes, to be clear, trhat’s my opinion, so I guess call me DEAD DUCK PS, given the degree of professionaland civilian oversight and training of eugene dps, I actually have fewer qualms about having them patrol with a gun on campus than campus cops. paying our head of campus dps more than the eugene police chief does not give me any confidence that our campus chief is as capable at supervising police operations. that day may come,but it is not yet here.