On Campus Blog

Metro State safety chief recounts obstacle to prosecution

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Bonoff: Thanks for putting that on the record. We hear you. (MPR Photo / Alex Friedrich)

During yesterday's Senate hearing on campus safety, Metropolitan State University public safety director Thomas Maida raised a few eyebrows with his testimony on the challenges of prosecuting crimes on campus:

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Maida (left) (MPR Photo / Alex Friedrich)

"When we've had crimes, and we've identified a specific individual, we've really struggled with investigations with the police department. We've struggled with moving investigations forward with the city attorney.

Case in point: We had a recent incident on campus right in front of a camera. Someone placed down their phone. Someone came by, put a piece of paper over the phone, talked with the safety officer right in front of them ... and when they left, they took the phone.

Fortunately, we were able to identify the individual, the police were involved ... the street officer spoke with that person. We had their name, passed [it] on [to] the investigator.

And it was determined that because the individual says as they left the building they gave it to someone who said they lost their phone, that career criminal with 31 convictions over the last several years isn't going to be charged."