According to an Opinion Letter prepared by a prominent law firm, Franklin & Marshall special police may well have police standing within 500 yards of the campus and any other property owned by the College. Since the residence provided to its president John Fry is situated in the middle of School Lane Hills, that sedate community as well as the western part of the City now fall largely under twin police jurisdictions.
The briefing concludes: “We believe a court would conclude that Fry’s residence is part of the campus property and that campus police may exercise their authority up to at least 500 yards from campus property. The most effective way to challenge this expansion of power would be through the legislature. Private colleges are subject to no oversight or pecuniary constraints as state-funded universities are. The legislature can modify the behavior of a state university by threatening or cutting off its funding. It should follow that private colleges are entitled to less police authority because they are not as accountable to the people from which they ultimately derive such authority.”
Of course the Lancaster Police are highly trained and report to city and township officials who in turn must answer to the electorate. The F & M police force only answers to John Fry.
Theoretically, F & M can indefinitely expands its sphere of police jurisdiction by purchasing additional real estate. May we suggest a row house for sale near the State Capitol?
