Council questions police department’s role in University drug violation cases

The Borough Council voted for the Borough and Township to recommence discussions of the University’s Arts and Transit Neighborhood proposal at Tuesday night’s meeting.

A subcommittee named the Alexander Corridor/Arts and Transit Joint Task Force will meet with University officials over a 60-day period to discuss the University’s proposal to expand its arts buildings in the south part of campus.

This decision revives talks that ended after a contentious meeting three weeks ago.

“We’re pleased to see that the committee is formed,” Kristin Appelget, the University’s director of community and regional affairs, said on behalf of the University.

“We look forward to working with the Borough and Township representatives toward finding a common ground because we truly believe that the project that we have proposed is the best for the community.”

Police involvement in University alcohol-related hospitalizations and violations of drug laws also became the subject of argument during the police department’s monthly report at the Borough meeting.

Borough Councilman Roger Martindell questioned the department’s activity in illegal drug enforcement on campus.

“Why are we monkeying around University drug cases? Why aren’t they doing their own work?” he asked, referring to the University’s force of about 60 Public Safety officers.

Borough Police Chief David Dudeck defended the need for community police to enforce illegal drug laws on campus as a matter of equal justice.

“There can’t be two sets of standards. We investigate drug cases for a person in Trenton, and we investigate drug cases for a student at Princeton University,” he said.

Dudeck explained after the Council session that the department only gets involved in more severe campus drug violations. He added that the department would not consider changing its policy at this time.

Recent alcohol-related hospitalizations were also discussed.

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“We have been extremely fortunate to have not had a fatality involving underage drinking in Princeton Borough,” Councilman David Goldfarb said. “This is an acute problem and needs our full attention to try to minimize the risks involved.”

He cited an underage student picked up on University property who had be treated in the hospital’s intensive care unit and another who was revived from respiratory arrest in December.

Martindell also questioned the ongoing $35,000 project to update the department’s accreditation should the possible consolidation of the Borough and Township, currently under discussion, result in a single police force.

“Why are we spending money accrediting the police department,” Martindell asked, “when the police department as we know it today may not exist a year from now?”

Dudeck said, however, that accreditation was necessary at present because consolidation, if passed, would not go into effect for a few years.

The Council also voted unanimously to approve an ordinance appropriating over $2 million to a pool renovation project that is being undertaken in cooperation with the Township.

The ordinance also authorized the issuance of $1.9 million in bonds of the Borough to finance part of the cost.

The Borough Department of Recreation is also determining increases in family recreation fees in a plan that would allow families to apply for need-based financial aid. The plan may generate up to $1 million in additional revenue.