A building that once was used as a banquet hall for special
events is now a modern technological buffet for Eastern
Michigan University's Department of Public Safety.
The new DPS headquarters, located in more than 10,000
renovated square feet in the old Hoyt Conference Center,
received a five-alarm welcome with a ribbon-cutting ceremony
and an open house Sept. 22.
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SAFETY WITH SCISSORS: The Eastern Michigan
University Board of Regents, EMU President Susan
Martin, EMU Police Chief Greg O'Dell and two former
police chiefs cut the ribbon prior to an open house of
the new Department of Public Safety's headquarters
Sept. 22. A $3.9 million renovation in Hoyt
Conference Center produced a 10,600-square-foot
facility. |
"We now have a very, very good police facility. We're
very excited to show you this facility," EMU Police Chief
Greg O'Dell said before a good crowd moments before the
ribbon-cutting ceremony. "It's greatly improved the working
conditions of police officers. It is now customer friendly.
Today, we will show you a police department you can really
be proud of."
O'Dell thanked President Susan Martin and the Board of
Regents for moving forward with the project during difficult
economic times. He gave special acknowledgement to Don
Loppnow, now vice president for advancement. While interim
executive vice president, Loppnow took a keen interest
in helping the department obtain needed resources and even
went out on nighttime ride-alongs with several of the DPS
officers.
"I'm completely convinced that, without your work, we
wouldn't be standing here today," O'Dell told Loppnow.
"It really is state-of-the-art and I believe the
best in the state of Michigan," said EMU President Susan
Martin. "...The parking garage (former DPS headquarters)
was not a sustainable area. Now, you are in a modern facility
with technology."
Martin pointed to the department's new GIS crime mapping
system online, which marks where crime activity is occurring
on campus and in Ypsilanti.
Roy Wilbanks, chair of EMU's Board of Regents, said the
project was a result of a 2005 decision by the board to
create a 4 percent funding fee for future capital projects
on campus.
"Providing a very safe and secure environment at EMU is
the No. 1 priority of the Board of Regents and the president," Wilbanks
said.
O'Dell also took the opportunity to report that crime
numbers on campus in 12 of 13 Clery Act reporting categories
was down. He was most pleased that number of burglaries
was down 61 percent in 2008 compared to 2007.
During August, the Department of Public Safety, Parking
and Emergency Management made its long-anticipated move
into the new headquarters at the former Hoyt Conference
Center on 1200 Oakwood St. A $3.9 million renovation of
10,600 square feet of office space began in January and
DPS employees moved into their new digs Aug. 10. Approximately
33 police officers and DPS administrators made the move
from the parking structure near Bowen Field House.
Existing space on Hoyt's main level and a portion of the
basement were renovated and a sally port (garage entrance
to transport prisoners), elevator and stair tower addition
were built.
Additional space in Hoyt also now allows DPS to have interview
rooms for people to report crimes on campus. Previously,
there was only a small briefing room for police officers
in the parking structure offices. Because the
conference center is located near Hill, Hoyt and Pittman
residence halls, and within relatively easy walking distance
from the Student Center, it is more visible and accessible
to students on campus.
The tour included a safety video playing in the lobby
and showcased the large dispatch center, complete with
video cameras that provide views to every building on campus.
"All cameras inside the buildings can be accessed from
here," Lt. Jeff Nesmith explained to a small tour group
checking out the multiple TV monitors. "We put cameras
on the entrances at buildings and in the parking lots.
All emergency assistance stations in buildings have cameras
and, when those are activated, they come up on the screen
here and dispatchers can talk to the people on the other
end."
The tour also included a look at the sally port, a prisoner
holding area, an interrogation room; and bright new offices
matched only by the smiles of police officers inhabiting
them.
Lieutenant Bob Heighes, who like many of his co-workers
has a large office window, said the view provides an easy
way to check for activity in the North Lot. He also said
it's easy to see campus enrollment is up by the large number
of cars parked in the lot that is farthest from most classroom
buildings.
Jade Teachey, an EMU senior who is student supervisor
of the SEEUS program, said the program provided 16,000
escorts during 2008.
"In many ways, SEEUS serves as a liaison between the police
department and the students," Teachey said. "In our new
headquarters, the office is accessible to faculty, staff
and students during all of our hours. We're really pleased
to have a place we can call our own."
