The most disturbing part, to me, is the UCD phone number and
extension on the card. The police substation has its own phone number
but UCD and Lt. McCurdy are suggesting we call *UCD* for law
enforcement issues. That's just creepy.
I notice UCD isn't inserting themselves in the SEPTA/Chester Ave./
Belgian Block controversy, though.
Frankus
Sleek. Edgy. Infinitely flexible.
On Sep 29, 2007, at 03:09 PM, Bill Sanderson wrote:
In terms of the final question, I guess I would find a bank logo on
such a card perplexing, rather than sinister. When there was a
mini-station at 47th (?) and Chester, did it have its own
stationery, or logo, or business cards? They, presumably would
have represented a “true” grass-roots group. Suppose they had
taken on a sponsor—perhaps their landlord, or a bank—would that
logo have appeared on stationery or cards?
I’m straying into the theoretical, which I generally hate on this
list—but corporate logos on public functions are becoming rather
common these days—I saw many examples of them on a vacation to Nova
Scotia this summer—from signs over concession stands to lifeguards
tee-shirts.
I think, in the end, I agree that this card was poorly thought out
on UCD’s part. Here’s wording I would have thought of as more
appropriate:
---------------
Lt so and so
Philadelphia Police Department
<UCD LOGO> University City District Police Substation
(contact information—email, phone, street address)
----------------------------------------------------------------------
--------------------------
According to: http://www.ucityphila.org/ucd_programs/public_safety/
police_substation
UCD is providing space for a substation serving 25 officers 18
hours a day, 7 days a week.
That’s a pretty significant investment, although I’d agree that
there’s no question that the University itself gets substantial
value out of that arrangement, the surrounding neighborhoods do too.
Would it be even better without the logo? Sure! I hate this trend
of having commercial logos on everything.
Would it be better if they chopped “District” out of the name of
the substation? Yes, again—but they are paying the bills…I suppose
it it gets too blurry we neighbors would complain that things were
being concealed…
Unfortunately, I deleted the text posting of the actual card the
other day, so I hope what I’ve posted isn’t just what the card
actually says…..
It seems to me that a lot of this comes down to feelings about the
difference between this particular sponsored police substation, and
the similar efforts which were presumably more truly grass roots,
such as the one at 47th & Chester. I don’t begrudge the UCD some
publicity for providing that space, but they do need to be a bit
more sensitive, I think.
From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:owner-
[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of KAREN ALLEN
Sent: Saturday, September 29, 2007 12:26 AM
To: 'UnivCity listserv'
Subject: RE: [UC] Who do sworn officers of the Philadelphia Police
report to?
As you said, it is important that the lines of police authority be
direct, and lead to the civil authorities, and not a private
corporation. But that's the impression that business card creates.
That card created the impression that a ranking Philadelphia Police
Officer, a person with the power to enforce the full range of
governmental police powers, was himself subordinate to a private
entity that is not answerable to the public. It also created the
impression that that entity was itself so powerful that it had its
own police powers via the officer.
With public authority, the citizens have the right to vote for
those people who exercise it, to have oversight of those actions,
and to have myriad controls in place to assure that actions taken
are reflective of the wishes of a majority of citizens. People who
have issues with the Police Department have recourse through the
elected government. That is the problem with UCD: it is a
private entity that has taken on governmental functions, but who is
it answerable to? This past year, they wanted the power to tax,
the ultimate government power. But who elected those who made the
crucial decisions that governed that proposal? How were those
slated to be taxed represented in ithe creation of the proposal?
Which members of the public elected the UCD administration? How do
we remove or replace their administration if we the public deem
them to be unresponsive to our needs? They do what many think are
good deeds, but what exernal controls exist to make sure that what
they do are of actual benefit to the many, and what does the public
do if not?
RE: "I really don’t see the fact that the guy has a printed
business card carrying a UCD logo, and identifying him (correctly)
as a Philadelphia police officer—to be anything sinister or
confusing."
You may say what's the big deal? It was just a business card, and
UCD paid for the cards. Think of it this way: would your
impression be different if the names and logos of a "Wachovia" or a
"Citizens Bank" appeared on that card?
Karen Allen
