My name is Paul Go, and I graduated from Notre Dame with an M.S. in physics in 1973. I retired more than three years ago after working at the University for 37 years.
The other day, a friend of mine was mugged while walking in broad daylight on campus near Cedar Grove cemetery. This was posted on an e-mail to all the students, staff and faculty.
The e-mail concluded with a paragraph suggesting that people should walk in groups, which is very impractical as well as very patronizing. I expect much more from our police department.
My recommendations to the Notre Dame police are as follows:
First, stop giving tickets to people driving on Angela, IN933/US31, Douglas and Twyckenham. Leave that job totally to the South Bend police, county police or state police.
Secondly, stop using uniform policemen with guns to give parking tickets. I just witnessed this the other night while walking out of the library. Can you imagine the outrage of the citizens of South Bend or Chicago if that was part of the job description of their police officers? Hire civilians or even part-time students, as part of their work study, for that job.
Then increase, by much more, the police presence on campus. Most criminals can be discouraged if police are present everywhere at all times. I think the official term for this is community policing. In regard to the police absence on campus, I can personally testify to this. I go to Notre Dame almost daily, on a different parts of the campus at different times of the day or night, either going to daily Mass, going to class in DeBartolo Hall, going to the library or visiting friends at OIT. I have purposely waited to write this letter until now because I wanted to at least personally see that my allegation is true, and unfortunately, I have to say at least from my point of view the police presence at Notre Dame is almost non-existent.
I agree that to expect to stop all criminal activities is an impossible task, but much more must be done if we want to keep our students, faculty, staff and visitors safe.
Paul Go
Retired Notre Dame employee
