The Tulane University Police Department set up a new station adjacent to The Boot Bar and Grill this summer, capping a long-running effort to add more patrols to an area filled with off-campus housing, bars and fraternity and sorority houses.
“The officers who work out of the Uptown District Station are available to assist with any issue, just as they do now,” TUPD Chief Kirk Bouyelas said. “Nothing has changed in this regard, except that the new station provides an additional police presence both on-campus and off-campus.”
The location offers TUPD a strategic advantage: many off-campus Tulane students reside nearby, and crimes like sexual assault, stabbings and shootings have plagued The Boot in the past several years.
The station resides on the former lot of the Pi Kappa Alpha fraternity. The chapter lost its charter when 10 members received felony hazing charges in 2008, and officials bulldozed the house afterward. Tulane purchased the land, outlining construction plans for a TUPD station in 2019.
Louisiana granted TUPD almost $1 million this summer that the department used to purchase smart radios, dispatch consoles and tablets for field officers, according to a report from WDSU. They also received $80,500 for “conductive weapons,” like tasers, according to WDSU.
“Last year, TUPD officers responded to nearly 5,800 calls for service in the patrol perimeter of our campuses,” Bouyelas said. “The funding will equip officers with tools to enhance their ability to provide this service to the citizens of New Orleans and assist the New Orleans Police Department.”
Several students said they hope the station will help the community, but also expressed some reservations about the move.
First year Evan Thomas said TUPD’s presence should support new students not yet acclimated to Tulane’s social environment.
“Sometimes freshmen coming in, they don’t really know how to deal with college,” Thomas said. “The police can be on standby and very close, and I think it’s very helpful to the community.”
“No one’s really completely accepting of the police, considering what’s happened over the past couple years,” Thomas added. “Hopefully it shouldn’t have to be used ever, but it’s good to just have it there, just in case anyone needs help.”
Other students expressed concerns.
“It’s a bit like putting a warden’s room right in the middle of a cell block,” Junior Rob Forman said. “There certainly are many issues with student safety at those bars and frats, but putting a police station right by there isn’t [going to] do anything except make people a little more hesitant to call the police.”
Forman said he worries the station may have unintended effects, such as a dynamic where some may not want to report legitimate concerns like alcohol poisoning for fear of possible legal consequences and disciplinary action.
Bouyelas said he understands the trust gap between students and police officers and suggested ways to bridge it.
“We are continually seeking ways to enhance our relationship with students and increase our level of service for students, who we view as partners in crime prevention,” Bouyelas said. “Building trust with our entire community is paramount to effective policing. It starts with our officers showing respect, acting with fairness and engaging community members as equal and vital partners.”