MOU Between St. Mary’s College and County Sheriff’s Office Reinforces Commitment to Campus Safety
A newly amended memorandum of understanding (MOU) between St. Mary’s College of Maryland and the St. Mary’s County Sheriff’s Office underlines the college’s commitment to the safety of its students, employees and visitors. The MOU, signed Dec. 2, outlines cooperative policies and responsibilities between the college’s Department of Public Safety and the Sheriff’s Office related to criminal investigations on campus.
Leonard Brown, dean of students at St. Mary’s College, explains that the amended MOU is not a reactionary but proactive measure. “The MOU is recommitting and strengthening the relationship between St. Mary’s College and the Sheriff’s Office. We wanted to formalize ways the college’s Department of Public Safety and the Sheriff’s Office support each other, share resources and work to maintain the most up-to-date protocols, especially related to Title IX.”
The St. Mary’s College Department of Public Safety maintains foot and vehicle patrol of the college campus 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The department is the primary agency for handling and investigating most on-campus crimes and incidents, pursuant to the MOU with the county’s Sheriff’s Office. The department also works to promote safety on campus through crime-prevention education and seminars offered to the entire campus community. Officers within the Department of Public Safety are trained to respond to a multitude of possible emergency situations and are the first to respond to any on-campus emergencies.
The MOU between St. Mary’s College and the county’s Sheriff’s Office is reviewed and amended as needed to uphold civil rights and to ensure compliance with federal and state laws, practices and procedures.