Extended coverage: Plan for expanding DPS jurisdiction is a good idea

The UNC Department of Public Safety and the Chapel Hill Police Department are right to discuss extending DPS' jurisdiction.

DPS has no authority beyond the immediate UNC campus not even on  Franklin Street. Any proposal to expand  jurisdiction would ultimately have to be approved by the Board of Trustees and the Chapel Hill Town Council.

This lack of purview means that if a DPS officer witnesses an assault on the north side of Franklin Street he technically has no power to act as a police officer over the crime. The officer can only perform a citizen's arrest.

This is indeed a perplexing and counterintuitive protocol.

If DPS has the resources then it should have some jurisdiction in places like downtown Chapel Hill. After all students migrate in large numbers to Franklin Street especially on weekends.

And many students who live off campus cannot be adequately protected by DPS. It only makes sense to allow DPS the additional power it needs to protect off-campus student housing.

This measure also would allow for joint operations between DPS and the town's police department.

As is DPS and the Chapel Hill police operate together only on nights of particular need such as Halloween.

If allowed DPS officers would mainly focus their off-campus efforts on weekend nights when there are large crowds of students on Franklin Street.

Further expanding DPS' jurisdiction wouldn't require hiring additional officers.

Allowing DPS more jurisdiction beyond the immediate campus area would only help to fulfill its mission of ensuring the welfare of the University community at minimal cost.