Police Show Softer Side at Welcome Back Students Event

Generally speaking, finding oneself surrounded by police is a bad thing. But hand them a basketball or a bass guitar, and suddenly, cops aren't just cops: they're people, too. Albeit people who regularly carry guns, but people nontheless.

Such a softening of image was the ultimate goal of Thursday evening's Welcome Back Students event, held in the parking lot behind City Hall.

A joint effort between PGPD, UMd. Police, the City of College Park, and the University of Maryland, the event was designed to ease some of the tension between students and police, in light of allegations that Prince George's County police officers used unnecessary force on a student after the UMd. vs. Duke basketball game last March.

The event featured a number of attractions, such as a PGPD vs. UMd. police basketball game, a giant stage where bands played and prizes were given out, and a contraption called "The Convincer," which enabled participants to experience the sensation of getting in a (very gentle) car accident.

While student turnout was limited, the event did succeed in drawing at least some curious students off the street.

Kristine Bedell, a senior at UMd., said she came after she heard there were prizes to be had.

"I love to check out everything that's around, and this is just one event that was happening, so I'm here for a little while," she said.

In terms of whether the event was actually successful? Not particularly, Bedell said.

"It's pretty much exactly what I expected it would be," she said. "Not great, but something to check out."

PGPD's Maj. Robert Liberati said that in the future, perhaps they would hold the event a little later in the day, and maybe with a different approach to advertising. Nevertheless, he was satisfied with the turnout of the event, especially considering that it was the first time it was held.

"It's a way to meet the students, and have the students meet us in a much different light than last March," he said.

"I wanted students to come out and see this community, and know that College Park is not just the University of Maryland, but part of the whole partnership," he said.

"College Park is not College Park without the University of Maryland, but the University of Maryland needs College Park, too."