U. Police revamp local area patrols

Officers will be deployedOfficers will be deployedto areas of higher crimeOfficers will be deployedto areas of higher crimeand student activity. University Police implemented a new beat system Monday designed to increase patrol visibility and concentrate officers in areas of higher crime and student activity. "We are placing more officers in areas where greater numbers of people are going to need them," Chief of Police Operations Maureen Rush said. "Law enforcement officials are always reluctant to claim victory or defeat," she added. "We have concentrated and deployed our staffing as effectively as we can." Rush also credited the University community for taking additional safety precautions and for reporting suspicious activities to officers more often. She said Spectaguard and University and Philadelphia Police patrols west of 40th Street have improved safety. "Many people have given us feedback that [the patrols have] increased their peace of mind and perception of safety as they walk in that area," Rush said. For the first time since the beginning of the year, no students, faculty or staff reported robberies to University Police this week. Uniformed and undercover Penn Police officers have made 13 arrests and believe they have identified suspects in 20 out of 39 robberies between September 1 and October 15, according to Rush. Last Friday night, University Police arrested two men after they allegedly robbed a Domino's Pizza driver at gunpoint earlier that night on 38th and Sansom streets. While University Police officials said they believe recent safety initiatives are working, they continue efforts to improve the department's operations. The new beat system features simplified terminology to ease communication between officers and dispatchers, Rush said. University Police also enlarged the bike patrol areas, Rush said, noting that they can reach locations more quickly than foot patrols and can access areas that mobile units cannot. Bike officers are more visible and interact more with community members than mobile units, she added. Beginning Monday, foot beat officers were concentrated in smaller areas that have shown a greater need for service, Rush said. Foot patrol officers provide maximum visibility and visit businesses and academic buildings, increasing the perception of safety, she added. The police increased the number of officers covering Locust Street west of 40th Street, and groups of businesses on 40th Street, 34th and Walnut streets and 39th and Walnut streets. In recent years, Foot Locker and Cinnabon on the 3400 block of Walnut street and Burger King at 40th and Walnut streets have been robbed repeatedly.

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