news-record.com

College campuses aren't islands unto themselves. Students, faculty and visitors come and go at will. Such easy access is critical in providing on open learning environment and strengthening bonds with the wider community.

An increasing number of students are turning to off-campus housing as rising enrollments put dorm rooms in short supply. Besides, a shared off-campus address can offer freedom and perhaps lower rent. For commuting students, there are job and family commitments to consider.

So, for city and campus law-enforcement agencies, the thin blue line of protection blurs into a gray area further magnified when students fall victim to nearby off-campus crime.

That happened early on the morning of Jan. 25, when N.C. A&T senior Dennis Hayle, 22, was shot and killed outside the apartment where he lived, several blocks from campus.

In the aftermath, Greensboro police and their A&T counterparts have begun discussing expanding a mutual aid agreement that would allow campus officers to patrol student-occupied housing not on university property.

For now, they're limited to checking on campus-owned property and monitoring public roads that run through or are immediately adjacent to university land.

Expanding their reach seems logical since campus units already are in the area. City police officers, on the other hand, patrol a much wider territory and often respond to calls that take them even farther away. A cruising patrol car, no matter its markings, should serve as a crime deterrent.

However, more still must be done to address campus safety issues. In October, A&T officials met with managers of off-campus residential properties. As a result, some now provide private security officers.

A&T, of course, isn't alone in dealing with security issues. UNCG also has a sprawling campus lapping over into nearby residential and commercial areas. While Bennett, Greensboro and Guilford colleges are more compact, they, too, face some of the same safety problems.

Although transient students may shy away from community involvement, it's to their advantage to join more permanent residents in neighborhood watches. And with safety in numbers, using student-based escort services also can be a wise choice.

By working more closely together, city and A&T police commendably are taking a proactive approach in dealing with a persistent and troubling crime problem. Hopefully, it will set a precedent leading to enhanced communication between other community and campus leaders.

Crime, after all, knows no arbitrary boundaries.