MUPD could take over response to Greek housing

The University of Missouri Police Department could soon take over law enforcement responses to Greek housing.

The agreement between MUPD and the Columbia Police Department will be introduced to the Columbia City Council next Monday. The council could vote on it as soon as its Aug. 5 meeting.

Campus leaders have discussed the possibility of changes to how law enforcement responds to Greek housing. A working group of the Mizzou Fraternity-Sorority Advisory Board was tasked with outlining the roles of local law enforcement versus campus police.

The agreement makes MUPD the responding agency to any calls for help or criminal investigations that take place at the 43 properties owned or leased by Greek organizations. University officers can request help from CPD, and the agreement allows CPD to respond to those houses if MUPD is unavailable.

Four properties located near the west end of campus, including the St. Thomas Newman Center and Children’s House Montessori, are included in the agreement.

Interim Columbia Police Chief Geoff Jones said university officers were better equipped to respond to calls within “Greek Town,” the properties on the outskirts of the campus limits. Many of the residents there are students, and MUPD would have the help and resources needed to deal with many of the issues that could come up while investigating calls.

Columbia police dispatch records show at least 267 calls for service to the properties involved in the last year.