With changes in entrance security at Homewood residence halls, 11 Hopkins police officers have been relocated to other security positions on campus, while employees contracted by Silver Star Security have taken their places as desk guards.
Former Wolman desk security officer "Mama" Vice was among the "Hop Cops" who were removed from their residence hall security posts.
"With the implementation of the turnstiles, staffing of these checkpoints were [sic] reviewed to match available personnel with the skills necessary for access control and for other security-related duties," Director of Homewood Security Ed Skrodzki said.
"Assigning contract guards to the residences frees up 11 campus police officer positions for reassignment to patrol posts on campus and in the neighborhoods," Skrodzki added. "On those patrols, the campus police officers will be available for response to any emergency, whether on campus, on the street or in the residence halls."
Students have taken notice of the change in personnel, primarily through the absence of campus police officer Cerlisteen "Mama" Vice from the Wolman security desk. Vice had been employed at Hopkins for over 20 years before her position changed
"[She] accepted a position as a Security Systems Specialist, which involves the operation and monitoring of the smart CCTV cameras. Her new position accommodates her interests and needs," Skrodzki said.
Students have reported that the relocation of Vice as well as other campus police officers had caused security desk personnel to appear less student-friendly.
"If [Vice] didn't know you by your name or face she would approach you and find out who you were," sophomore Tanya Vargas said.
"I feel that security guards that are contracted are very detached from the students," Vargas said.
"While transferring to this position means that Officer Vice will be moving from the ranks of campus police officer, she will be assuming an important role in our security effort," Skrodzski said.
"Like other officers who have been reassigned, Officer Vice will continue to receive the same compensation and benefits in this new position," he added.
"All the campus police officers formerly assigned to university housing have been transferred to assignments where they can more effectively use their training and experience to enhance the safety of students, faculty and staff," Skrodzski said.
"None of the campus police officers lost their jobs," he added.
Sophomore Natalie Baer said that she believes the addition of Silver Star Security guards is an attempt by the administration to impress students with a false sense of security.
"Sometimes I feel like the school is trying to appear more secure, but I don't really feel safer," Baer said.
Hopkins hired Silver Star Security to join campus security efforts on the Homewood Campus after the terrorist attacks on Sept. 11, 2001, when a total of ten uniformed part-time guards began patrolling the campus.
The security department said that this increased security was an appropriate response to the elevated terror alert.
After the death of Linda Trinh in January, Hopkins administrators contracted Silver Star Security guards to patrol parts of Charles Village from 11 a.m. to 3 a.m.
Additional guards were assigned to the Homewood and Bradford Residence Halls, and a Silver Star guard station was added in the immediate vicinity of the Charles Apartment building.
These changes went into effect on Feb.14, when Silver Star guards began patrolling Homewood on foot. This semester, upon complete implementation of the program, the guards began bicycle patrols.
Four guards remain on duty for 16 hours each day of the week. The reach of their patrol area was increased to include University Parkway and Charles, Calvert, and 29th Streets.
Silver Star Security is division of Broadway Services, Inc., which is a subsidiary of the Dome Corporation. The Dome Corporation is a subsidiary of Johns Hopkins University. However, no Silver Star employees are employees of Hopkins.
