By Kenneth Mullinax
A cohort of local universities, colleges and law enforcement entities gathered at Alabama State University on Friday (Jan. 6) at 10 a.m. and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) that provides for the enhanced coordination of informational outreach, training and investigations related to potential criminal acts of interpersonal violence on the campuses with an end-goal of increased safety for all.
Five area institutions —Alabama State University, Troy University, Huntingdon College, Faulkner University and Auburn University Montgomery — signed the MOU with the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office, Montgomery Police Department, and Crimestoppers.
The signing took place in ASU’s Ralph D. Abernathy College of Education’s Auditorium.
“The purpose of the MOU is to establish a seamless line of communication and interaction for investigating interpersonal violence incidents and the sharing of training, educational interaction and resources, as well as other opportunities among the entities signing the MOU to suppress and combat criminal acts on Montgomery campuses,” said Cheryl Lang, director of ASU’s Violence Against Women & Men Program(VAWP).
Lang explained that it is important for local institutions of higher education and law enforcement agencies to share resources and work together so they may best protect and educate students, faculty and staff and bring any law breakers to quick justice.
“This agreement allows Alabama State and the partners who signed this MOU today to broaden the scope of the safety net we provide our individual and collective educational campuses and better protect our students and employees,” stated Lang. “By sharing training, resources and investigative tools, we will do a better job in the arena of fighting, solving, preventing crimes and bringing criminals to be adjudicated and sentenced for their crimes. By working together, we help each other.”
