Johns Hopkins University Plans to Expand Police Force by Adding Up to 30 Officers
Johns Hopkins University is gearing up to bolster its police force by adding between 20 to 30 officers, as confirmed by a university public safety spokesperson. Presently, the department comprises 12 sworn officers, with plans to scale up to approximately 100 personnel at the Johns Hopkins Police Department.
Deirdre Golla, a student at JHU, expressed her support for the move, stating, "Campus security is always good." Sonja Merchant Jones, a member of the Johns Hopkins Police Accountability Board, emphasized that having officers on college campuses is not a novel concept and assured that the officers will adhere to the university's standards.
Jones highlighted the deliberate approach taken in gradually increasing the number of officers within the police department, stating, "These police officers were put through their paces. This wasn't anything that was rushed because I'll say we want to get it right. I know I do."
Dr. Branville Bard, the Vice President of Public Safety and the Chief of Police for Johns Hopkins University, shared a statement underscoring the commitment to community engagement and transparency in shaping the JHPD as a model public safety organization.
Carlo Costigliola, a Hopkins student, raised questions regarding the deployment of the additional officers, emphasizing the importance of understanding how they will be allocated across different areas for security purposes.
Frances Leiter, another student, acknowledged the intention behind increasing police presence but advocated for a broader focus on initiatives beyond law enforcement, such as enhancing mental health services and establishing more homeless shelters.
The expansion of the police department aligns with the university's ongoing efforts to support community programs aimed at reducing violence. Recently, Johns Hopkins University concluded an application process for community groups to access $6 million in grants from the Innovation Fund for Community Safety.
In 2019, a Maryland law granted Johns Hopkins the authority to establish its private armed police force for its Baltimore campuses. The university's president at the time, Ronald Daniels, emphasized the department's commitment to upholding the highest standards of policing with a projected 100 officers.
Following the nationwide protests against police brutality in 2020, triggered by the death of George Floyd, Johns Hopkins University paused its plan to create a private police force. However, in 2022, the proposal was revisited and opened for public feedback.
According to draft documents, the armed officers will be equipped with body cameras and will patrol the university's Homewood, Peabody, and medical campuses. Their jurisdiction for exercising police powers off-campus will be limited to pursuing suspects or managing traffic.
Over the years, Johns Hopkins students, staff, and community advocates have voiced concerns and objections to the university's development of a private police department. Protests, disruptions of public meetings, and legal actions have been taken to challenge the formation of the police force.
Despite the opposition, the university has continued to progress with its plans, with protesters staging demonstrations and legal challenges against the Memorandum of Understanding between the Baltimore Police Department and JHPD, which delineates operational boundaries and protocols.
In 2022, protesters disrupted town hall meetings organized to discuss the establishment of the police force, as mandated by Maryland law before the department's creation.
