Updated: Dec. 10 at 11:29 p.m.
The Temple University Police Association is urging university leadership to “make significant changes within TUPD administration” due to the department’s loss of more than 50 officers since Vice President for Public Safety Jennifer Griffin started in the role two years ago, the union wrote in a social media statement Tuesday night.
“Out of the 55 police officers who have left, 65% transitioned to other law enforcement agencies, while the remainder either retired or pursued opportunities in the private sector,” the statement read. “Currently, the Temple University Police Department has 37 active patrol police officers, with an additional 4 officers on medical leave, bringing the total number of patrol police officers to 41.”
Staffing shortages have affected the department for years amid a national police shortage that began in 2020. Temple’s police department had 72 police officers and 95 total sworn officers as of Sept. 23, 2023, The Temple News previously reported.
TUPA believes that the staffing information is “deliberately withheld” from the public and university leadership “for various reasons” and that there is “growing uncertainty” if the police department could operate in its current form in the following year.
The Department of Public Safety responded in a 1,008-word statement to The Temple News that detailed significant changes in the past two years. The statement included a detailed explanation of incentivized hiring, a new scheduling model, promotional policies and equipment updates.
“Due to the efforts of the entire department, we have seen reductions in incidents of crime on campus,” DPS’ statement read. “On average, our police officers collectively respond to 1-1.5 service calls an hour for all three campuses. Compared to other areas of the city, this is a very low number of calls. This rate has stayed steady over the last two years.”
Temple's Department of Public Safety responded to the Temple University Police Association's claims with a 1,008-word statement to @TheTempleNews late Tuesday night.
— Samuel O’Neal (@SamuelOneal43) December 11, 2024
Full statement below: https://t.co/fy6qWI6qwF pic.twitter.com/DTLZxT0nIf
TUPA also claimed that a union board member privately met with former officers and found that officers left the department due to “insufficient attention to officer safety, leadership issues under [Griffin], and dissatisfaction with the department’s overall direction.” Some current police officers are also “actively seeking employment” elsewhere, the union wrote.
“We have reached a critical point where remaining silent is no longer an option,” TUPA wrote. “With only 41 police officers remaining at TUPD and an average loss of 25 officers annually since the appointment of new leadership under [Griffin], we are deeply concerned about the future viability of the department.
The union called for Griffin’s resignation in June 2023, criticizing her response to the fatal shooting of Sgt. Christopher Fitzgerald in February 2023 and her alleged termination of three female officers within a 48-hour time period.
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