Should MCC have its own police department?
This morning's paper revealed plans to spring its own P.D. on students and faculty (and taxpayers), including budgeted amounts for TWO police interceptor vehicles.
Now that's got to be exactly what MCC needs. If a student speeds in the 15MPH zone, the MCC cops would have a high-powered 140MPH police car to chase him all the way to Crystal Lake.
Just how big is MCC? Not big at all. How many students are there? Not that many. And the College is land-locked. It's not going to grow.
The Crystal Lake Police Department can handle anything that arises at the college.
What MCC did was hire a big-city cop from L.A., who came to little ol' McHenry County and brought big-city ideas. McHenry County does not need an additional police empire.
For several years I have attempted to persuade MCC to raise its speed limit on the perimeter roads from 15MPH to, say, 30MPH. Everybody (except me) already drives 30-40MPH. The 15MPH speed limit is legally unenforceable, because it is an alley speed limit, according to the Crystal Lake P.D.
The first excuse for not raising it that I heard was that it had been set low (at 15MPH), because the folks at MCC knew everyone drove 10MPH over the speed limit. By setting it at 15MPH, then they hoped drivers would go only 25MPH. Man! What a philosophy. Forrest Gump had an answer for that one.
Different people came and went, and I actually thought I might get somewhere with President Plinske. She was (is) bright, smart, young, and I was pretty sure all her brain cells were still working. I guess they were, because she left when they didn't give her the top spot.
At her direction, MCC Director of Security Mike Clesceri responded to my email to President Plinske about increasing the speed limit. Said he, "I believe it is prudent to keep continuity in the speed limit of our parking lots and the Ring Road to avoid confusion."
What? MCC students can't be relied upon to discern the bold black numbers on speed limit signs and spot the difference between "15" and, say, "30" on a sign on a roadway?
MCC does not need a police department. Geesh!!! But you'd better watch it, folks. If you blink, someone will talk the new prez into it.
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8 comments:
You have written about the MCC speed limit before. Since this topic came to my attention, I have been aware of my speed at the campus (well, usually after I realize, "hey, I'm going too fast!")
I try to do 15 but inevitably, it sometimes ends up being closer to 20 (maybe 25) around the Ridgefield Rd curve. I get a lot of "complaints" from drivers behind me when I do 20mph.
An interesting concept to have an MCC police department for the main purpose of issuing speeding tickets. Hmm... Source of revenue? Salvation for the Promise program? Why not?
"Should MCC have its own police department?"
HELL NO !!
1. More bloated salary(s).
2. More costly pension(s) to support.
3. CLPD more than capable to police.
Every taxing district in the county thinks we have deep pockets for their wish lists. Maybe, if they are not busy with everything else that's going on, the Tea Party can take set up on Rt14.
What happened at NIU is why MCC officers need to be able to carry guns, in my opinion.
If something similar happened at MCC, the CL Police would have little chance of responding in a timely manner.
At NIU, even with armed officers, the NIU Police did not arrive in time.
When a speed limit is known to be illegally posted, such as MCC's 15MPH speed limit, is there any reason for a driver to obey it?
Thanks, Cal. This is so much easier when you refute your own argument.
So waiting for the CL Police to arrive would be better?
Not better or worse. Using your argument, at MCC even with armed officers the MCC police didn't arrive in time.
That is certainly not what I am saying.
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