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Emotional testimony on the beating of an Orono resident was a major factors in a legislative committee’s unanimous decision to recommend the passing of a bill allowing university police to work more closely with local police departments.
If passed, Legislative Document 23 would allow town and university police forces to enter mutual aid agreements. These agreements allow municipalities to call request emergency assistance from neighboring towns.
Five representatives from Orono and the University of Maine, including UMaine Public Safety Director Noel March, Orono Town Council chair Lianne Harris and Orono town manager Gerry Kempen, testified before the Educational and Cultural Affairs Committee as proponents of the bill on Feb. 4.
Perhaps the most powerful testimony came from Orono resident Jo Carol Alford. Alford was a neighbor of Michael Curtis, the man assaulted outside his home on Pond Street last September. She described the need in the community for Public Safety officers to be allowed to help Orono police off-campus property. She also read a letter written by Curtis.
“I wanted my testimony to be key in making the decision on the bill, so I called Michael Curtis to have him write a statement to be part of my testimony,” said Alford. “It was a moving statement mostly because [Curtis] is such a fine person. He doesn’t have a vindictive bone in his body … he knew a lot of good could come from his beating.”
Alford also showed a picture of the battered Curtis shortly after the assault.
“A picture is worth a thousand words,” she said.
Spurred to action following the incident, Alford has become a leading figure in Orono’s Neighborhood Task Force and is vice president of the Orono Action Association. She is also running for town council.
“When Mike Curtis was beaten unconscious and left for dead practically on my front door, I was outraged,” Alford said. “I really pushed the town council after that, because I saw it really as a growing and pervasive problem.”
This year, March has seen many other situations in Orono that could have benefited from Public Safety’s assistance.
“There may have been as many as half a dozen cases where university police could have been of assistance but were not empowered to render that emergency assistance,” March said.
Public Safety has three to four officers on duty on any given night, while Orono may only have half as many, explained March. Public Safety officers also have the same training as officers in local departments.
“Because of the size and budget limitations of the town of Orono and the small size of the police force, having the help of the University of Maine police would be a Godsend,” Harris said in a statement made on behalf of the Orono Town Council.
Maine law already provides for local police departments to enter into mutual aid agreements. This was done informally for many years, but was made law when questions of liability and cost were raised. University police departments were not included when the bill was first enacted.
“A mutual aid agreement will not result in university police officers handling complaints,” March said. “This is still the responsibility of Orono and Old Town police. [Public Safety] officers can only be requested.”
Testimony on LD 23 occurred Feb. 4 with seven proponents speaking and no opponents. The committee announced its unanimous decision to recommend legislative approval of the bill two days later. The Legislature may act on the bill in the next few weeks, but changes would not take effect until the end of the legislative session in June.
A second bill also will be heard by the Educational and Cultural Affairs committee that would consider giving university police departments statewide authority, March said.
“Statewide authority means we can pursue that purse snatcher, sex offender, or drug dealer that preys on university students and not be confined to campus without power beyond the borders of our 660-acre campus,” March said.
March suspects this bill will raise more questions because it will give university departments the authority to police off campus without being invited by the town.
LD 23 is co-sponsored by Rep. Matt Dunlap (D-Old Town) and Sen. Mary Cathcart (D-Orono) and is supported by both communities. The bill also is endorsed by UMaine President Peter S. Hoff and University of Maine System Chancellor Joseph Westphal.
“LD 23 was a bill that was so close to my heart I don’t think anyone could have kept me away from Augusta that day,” Alford said. “What happened to Mike Curtis that night could have happened to anyone.”
Bangor Daily News