By Christina Walker
Since University of Maryland Police reinstated ID gate checks last month, students have conflicting opinions regarding campus safety and whether the additional stop is necessary.
Police reinstated ID verification Nov. 14. Every night from 10 p.m. to 3 a.m., auxiliary police are positioned at the entrances of campus on Baltimore Avenue, Stadium Drive and Paint Branch Drive. All open entrances have brightly lit gatehouses for the staffed officers.
All other entrances are closed during these hours, except Mowatt Lane, which is only open to buses. Hundreds of students hold Lot 19 parking permits at Mowatt Lane Parking Garage.
Jon Morgan, a junior computer science major, parks his car in the Mowatt Lane Parking Garage, and said the closure of Mowatt Lane was an adjustment.
“I had no idea how to get back on campus,” Morgan said. “But now that I know, it’s not too difficult.”
Lt. Rosanne Hoaas, the police department’s public information officer, said police are trying to limit access to people who have “no lawful reason” to be driving on campus, including people trying to use it as a shortcut or to aimlessly drive around at night.
“The goal is really to limit vehicular traffic after a certain point,” Hoaas said.
Those without a student ID must state their reason for entering campus. But this isn’t meant to deter visitors, food delivery drivers or anyone with a legitimate purpose, Hoaas added.
The university police’s auxiliary unit, comprised of student volunteers that recently reached pre-pandemic participation numbers, allow for gate checks to be reinstated. The unit aims to be another set of eyes and ears for the department.
“They’re a fantastic group within the department,” Hoaas said. “We really could not complete the mission without them.”
Police have not received direct feedback from the community since the checks’ reinstatement.
“For those who have never seen it before, it’s a new adjustment period,” Hoaas said.
Before the pandemic, the gate checks were in place since at least 2008, according to Hoaas.
Curtis Watkins, a sophomore mechanical engineering major, said the gate checks are beneficial to student safety and that it’s reassuring to know that the university is monitoring the people who drive onto campus at late hours.
“It’s always good to know that the campus is keeping your safety a top priority,” Watkins said.
Having the auxiliary police unit conduct the gate checks is a productive way to build trust and allow more students to interact with UMPD, Watkins said.
Marissa Jarrett, a junior criminology and criminal justice major, has kept her car on campus for the past two years and said the additional driving time is inconvenient. Her feelings regarding safety have not been affected.
“[The ID verification] honestly makes me feel no different than before,” Jarrett said.
Jarrett also highlighted a plethora of crimes like carjackings and armed robberies that still happen regularly during the day and night. Increased campus security during the day would potentially make students feel more safe, Jarrett said.
Morgan also mentioned these crime incidents, and said the gate checks are not necessary for student safety. He has not noticed a decrease in UMD alerts.
University President Darryll Pines released a campuswide email about safety and inclusivity at this university Nov. 27, highlighting the gate checks and the 80 additional auxiliary police members that joined the unit.
“For over a month, the University of Maryland Police Department (UMPD) has expanded their visible presence on campus, increased campus patrols and worked around the clock without nearly any leave or days off,” Pines said in the email.
Featured Image: the Pocomoke Building on Dec. 8, 2023. Photo by Christina Walker