Letters to the Editor

A police auditor is badly needed

Being a college student at Fresno State, it concerns me that our city council continually denies Fresno citizens the right to have an independent police auditor.

This will benefit both the community and police officers. It is unacceptable that our City Council, which serves our city’s people, would deny them proper protection of their rights.

Having an independent police auditor for Fresno would mean that police misconduct is investigated so it is not repeated, better communication would be established between the police department and the community, reports made public and policy enforced to ensure procedure and practices are achieved at a professional level.

San Jose acquired an independent police auditor in 2000. The same model was shown in 2002 to the Fresno Police Department, the mayor, the city’s attorney and the Fresno Police Officer’s Association and was never implemented. The Fresno Police Officer’s Association simply was unfavorable to the idea.

Mayor Alan Autry supports the community’s need for an independent police auditor. Autry’s proposal has been rejected and now he has taken a different approach and will advocate for a police auditor in the June 2006 ballot on Nov. 29. If this election is approved, Fresno voters will decide the issue.

I encourage Fresno State students and residents to vote if an election is approved next year.

My plea is that everyone vote if the independent police auditor is on the June 2006 ballot.

Destiny Rodriguez
public relations and sociology senior

Administration is not putting student safety first

Fresno State is spending millions of dollars on renovating the Henry Madden Library, improving the football locker room, academic facilities and building a new student recreation center. However, the problem of limited lighting on campus and in the parking lots seem to go unnoticed.

The lack of lighting on campus should be of huge concern to those students who attend night school.

According to Megan’s Law there are more than 50 sex offenders living near Fresno State. Limited lighting only increases the risk of being a victim of a sexual offense.

According to the Fresno State Police Department Crime Statistics report in 2004 there were four forcible sex offenses on campus that were reported.

This report does not account for those offenses unreported. The Fresno State Police Department states on their Crime Alert page that students should park and walk in public well-lit areas. How is this possible when the amount of lighting is limited?

Students should not have to walk in constant fear because of the limited visibility they have due to the lack of light. Fresno State needs to ensure the safety of their students by providing better lighting around campus and in the parking lots.

Safety is No. 1.

Demetria Costa
sociology, senior

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