Phone call with Temple University's Police Dept today

[indianjack]

Why do I want to carry a gun? Because its Philadelphia of course. Haven't you noticed the crime rate around here?

[wa3ra]

SIR, BECAUSE I'M NOT ALLOWED TO CARRY A FLAMETHROWER, SIR!

[andrewjs18]

Please people, stop asking permission to do something LEGAL!!!
If they have an issue, they will let you know.

true dat!!!!

rep sent.

[mythaeus]

I think the conversation went well. I would've said "for personal protection because you guys can't be everywhere". He did answer your question and did not give you a lecture. I bet you if a Penn State college student called his police department, he'd get the same "what do you need a gun for" question. It's not just Philly or Temple. Don't let it bother you.

As to asking permission, the OP did no such thing. He only asked about the boundaries and I think that it was good and bad with mentioning the carrying thing. The Temple police is now more conscious of the fact that off-campus is off-limit, especially with legal carrying. Of course, it's double-edged in that they will certainly see it through that the OP gets his ass handed to him if they caught him on campus.

Al

[djturnz]

Perhaps he was just asking why the OP wanted to carry a gun to see if maybe there was a specific situation like previous threats or something.

I don't think we can cry foul every time a cop asks a question.

Technically a cop can ask any question they want, you just don't have to answer.

[david1]

When you graduate move as far away from Phili as you can for your own safety!

[soberbyker]

I have been wondering about this same issue for a while (only on Drexel's campus) about what actually constitutes the "campus". I don't CC on campus since I graduate in June and would hate to screw it up so close to the end. But my main question is - does the University own the city streets and city sidewalks? If the streets and sidewalks remain the property of the city, then the university can't do anything to you, since you were on public property. I ask that question because if the university does own the streets/sidewalks, then technically I (as a student) can't even drive through the campus (not stopping on campus, just passing through) with my gun in my truck.
Good luck to you over near Temple!

While looking up something I ran across what Drexel's police concider their patrol area:

Now (4-21-09), 12 uniformed officers police a patrol zone between 30th and 36th streets east to west and Spring Garden and Chestnut streets north to south.

The officers work from 4:30 p.m. to 3 a.m. each day, although the department hopes to add more officers and begin 24-hour patrols by October of this year ...

The above quote is from this article:

http://media.www.dailypennsylvanian.com/media/storage/paper882/news/2009/04/21/News/Violent.Crime.At.Drexel.Down.Thanks.To.New.Police. Force-3718513.shtml

.

[vmiwoulfe]

For what it's worth (FWIW):

http://www.drexel.edu/publicsafety/police/policing

From the above link ....



Not real clear on what is or isn't university property, but I wouldn't chance it if I were you. I would imagine the city owns the streets thru campus but the Drexel Police do have jurisdiction to enforce the law on those same streets like university police departments all over the country.

.

Hey yall-don't forget to make the distinction between law and campus regs.

Just because it's against the rules doesn't mean it's against the law. The above policy only applies to students and staff as the only authority they have to enforce the rule is to kick you off campus/expel/fire you.

Sure, Penn/Drexel/Temple cops are true LEOs and can enforce the LAW as well as kick you off campus for breaking the rules. Really the only difference between these folks and mall rent a cops is that if you don't comply they can (and likely will arrest you).

If you're cutting through their campus on your way to work, taking a street that cuts through or using Septa, you can carry as many weapons as you want. Hell, even as a student you legally could, but you'd probably not be a student their for long.

[Alchymist]

RE: Streets and sidewalks

Most property deeds specify the boundaries along streets as "the center of the street", including sidewalks. I know our deeds to two different properties in two different counties specified the property boundary as the center of the street. In the first case Rt 220, in the second Rt 35, both major highways, one in town and one rural. The state or other governing body has a right of way, but the property belongs to the landowner.

[Statkowski]

In the event the roadway is ever abandoned (it's rare, very rare, but it does happen), the use of the ex-roadway property reverts back to the owner. Until then, however, the government (state/county/borough/township) maintains an easement for public access on the right-of-way. It is on this easement portion (generally 60 feet from the centerline), that public access is permitted unfettered (meaning you can walk, bicycle, carry a firearm, whatever). Step off the sidewalk onto the grass, however, and you may be trespassing.