Clark Looks To Bring More Officers, New Concept Of Safety To The U
MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) -- The University of Minnesota has a new top cop who is already making changes he hopes will improve safety on and around campus.
Matt Clark spent 22 years at the Minneapolis Police Department. He rose to the rank of deputy chief before taking the job as police chief at the University of Minnesota.
He spent Wednesday greeting students at a light rail stop.
"It gives us a chance to kind of meet them, welcome them back to the university," he said.
It also gave students a chance to ask questions and address their concerns to the new police chief.
"They had some questions about crime alerts and crime in the area," Clark said.
Assault, robbery and burglary are just some of the crimes that plagued campus and the area around it last year.
Clark plans to have students participate more in public safety and awareness.
"I see it as a culture of safety," he said. "We really need our students calling us when they see something suspicious."
Clark says the numbers prove campus is one of the safest places in the city.
"When you look at crime in the city of Minneapolis, violent crime on campus is point two percent of the violent crime for the city," he said.
Clark hopes adding two more officers to the force will help deter crime.
He believes a change in the departments approach to policing will help as well.
"When I came here, they didn't have officers actually dedicated to walking the beat, and I really feel that is a big part of community policing and a big part of what I experienced in Minneapolis," Clark said.
He is also meeting with student groups and organizations to spread his new concept for safety.
