Following a series of violent crimes in the area around campus, including the death of Eastern Michigan University student Demarius Reed, officials from both the EMU Police Department and the Ypsilanti Police Department have worked to strengthen relationships between the university and the city.
The two primary goals of a strengthened relationship between EMU and the city of Ypsilanti are to bring justice to the victims of recent crimes on and nearby EMU’s campus, and to ensure the future safety of students living on and off campus.
Chief of Police Bob Heighes addressed these goals in a recent community notice.
“We continue to work closely with Ypsilanti Police Department on key safety initiatives, including the expanded police patrols around our campus,” Heighes said.
Interim YPD Police Chief Tony DeGiusti confirmed the steadily growing relationship between the two police departments in a recent press release concerning the arrests of two suspects in the Demarius Reed case. He stated his department would continue to do extra patrols not only with their partners at EMU, but also at the Washtenaw County Sheriff’s office and in Ypsilanti Township.
“We are committed to continuing collaborative efforts to reduce crime and increase safety in densely occupied, off-campus student residences and throughout the entire community,” DeGiusti said. “Thus far, the efforts have been successful and it has been a pleasure to work with EMU and the sheriff on these collaborative efforts.”
Patrols through off-campus housing complexes and side streets as well as a more active presence on main roads provide a visual indication of the collaborative efforts of EMU police and the YPD.
Some students reported to have noticed this increase in police presence in the areas surrounding off-campus apartment complexes during the course of the past few weeks.
“I have noticed most of the nights I pass by, lately, at least one patrol car in the area either driving around or parked just off to the side at that intersection,” freshman Tamara Kellerton said. “I never saw that before, so I think it’s good they are out there.”
In addition to the strengthening relationship between the EMU and Ypsilanti police departments, the Washtenaw Country Sheriff’s Department and EMU campus service Student Eyes and Ears for University Safety, or SEEUS, have also joined the efforts to make the campus and the surrounding areas a safe environment for students.
SEEUS has extended shifts between the hours of 3-7 a.m. in order to assist in assuring the safety of students traveling alone on campus.
Students will continue receiving updates through the Department of Public Safety Timely Warning/Safety Notices found at emich.edu/publicsafety. These notices provide information to students regarding crimes and other threats to their safety that happen on campus and in the surrounding areas.
