The Department of Public Safety, in conjunction with the Office of Students Rights and Advocacy, a function of the Student Union, held an Eat and Greet last Thursday. The event aimed to provide a forum for dialogue between the student body and the University Police, explained Director of Public Safety Ed Callahan in an interview with the Justice."The purpose of the event is to help ameliorate the relations with the student body as well as with the Police and the Public Safety Department," explained OSRA member and coordinator of the event Ariel Glickman '13 in an interview with the Justice.

In attendance from the Department of Public Safety were Callahan and Associate Director Bette Reilly.

Director of Student Rights and Community Standards Dean Gendron also attended.

Approximately two dozen students attended the event. Representatives of the Student Union, Brandeis Escort Service and Brandeis Emergency Medical Corps were also present.

This event was the first in a series of several events that will be held jointly with the Student Union and the Department of Public Safety.

This series of events comes at a time when Public Safety believes that it has received negative attention from the student body, particularly following the interaction between police and students on the night of Pachanga last fall, explained Callahan in an interview with the Justice.

Callahan said in an interview with the Justice that "it would be good to establish or re-establish communications with students, . especially since there were situations that occurred during the fall semester."

Callahan added that the events of last semester were "the impetus to conduct several other events" that would be planned by the Student Union and Public Safety.

"We had some situations as a result of Pachanga, not specifically Pachanga itself, . and then some students formed some stereotypical attitudes of the police without sharing or knowing information that [the Brandeis Police] have about the situation," said Callahan in an interview with the Justice.

Throughout the event with students, Callahan stressed that he believes that the Brandeis Police are "amicable," and that they are not primarily a disciplinary force.

"We are here more to educate than we are to enforce. . One of our main jobs is to mentor people," said Callahan. He further assured students that "arrest is not the norm on campus."

He added, "The balance of security and safety and individual freedom is very much a concern. The University wants you to have an exorbitant amount of personal freedom but on the other hand we rely on you to lock doors and not let people into residence halls behind you."

Callahan added that University Police often contact representatives from the Division of Student Affairs in order to discuss the best methods of handling incidents involving students and the police.

This Thursday, Public Safety and the Student Union will cosponsor a game night, and police officers will be in attendance playing video games, pool and ping-pong with students in the game room.

The police force currently consists of 15 patrol officers and five sergeants.

Reilly said in an interview with the Justice that her department is looking to cosponsor a Thirsty Thursday at The Stein. Similarly, events-although not yet planned-may be titled "Coffee, Cops and Donuts"and "Party with the Police." These would potentially take place at the end of March.

According to Reilly, previous efforts to engage students with the police have failed. For example, she mentioned ice cream socials and officer liaison programs held several years ago that "flopped."

This time, however, Reilly is optimistic that the events will succeed because Public Safety is now working with the Student Union.

Senator for North Quad Shekeyla Caldwell '14 attended the event and wrote in an e-mail to the Justice, "I found the event with public safety to be a beneficial experience for Brandeis students because I can now put a face [to] the department and begin knowing the people within the department on a personal level."

She added, "Building a relationship with those in charge of your protection is much more important and useful than most students would initially believe."

Head Coordinator of the Brandeis Escort Service and Executive Senator Abraham Berin '11 said in an interview with the Justice, "The event was a positive step forward in the relationship between the police and the student community."

Editor's note: Ariel Glickman '13 is a member of the Justice Copy staff.