By CARISMA JANO and JORDAN BURGMEIER
Creighton Digital Storytellers

Finding a parking ticket on your windshield after a long day at school can be frustrating. It is a situation that many college students and public safety officers are familiar with. Having to resolve unpaid parking tickets or immobilized vehicles may not always lead to positive interactions between students and officers. 

Almost all of her experiences with public safety officers were about parking tickets she received, said Nyanpanda Malwal, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences. 

“I think the tickets are excessive and that Public Safety isn’t really considerate of students and access to and from campus for people who commute,” said Malwal.

Malwal lives off campus and does not have a parking permit. On most days, she parks in available off-street spaces when she finds one. The price of a permit has kept her from purchasing one, said Malwal.

During each school year, Public Safety issues an average of 4,000 parking permits to students, faculty and staff at Creighton, according to Michael Reiner, director of Public Safety. Having a parking pass, however, does not guarantee a place to park in one of the nearby lots around campus. Students or faculty with parking permits can park in one of the lots, garages or off-street spaces. 

From parking tickets causing registration holds to getting their vehicles booted, students and staff have had their fair share of interactions with Public Safety officers. Parking can be a sore subject for many students on Creighton University’s campus. The many parking tickets may hurt officers’ reputations.

The relationship between the Creighton community and public safety officers is one that Reiner says he is working to improve. 

After spending years working as an Air Force colonel, Reiner finds many similarities working with new military recruits and college students.

 “Most of the people I worked with, in the Air Force, were 18 to 22-year-olds, right out of high school, they were away from home for the first time. They were experimenting with drugs, sex, and alcohol, and sometimes making some dumb choices, and that sounds a lot like a college campus,” said Reiner. 

Since starting his position in December 2016, Reiner has made de-escalation, firearms, mental health, first aid and critical intervention training a requirement for officers. De-escalation training teaches officers how to approach and handle major issues on campus, such as parking tickets. The purpose of writing a ticket should always be with the intent of changing negative behavior, said Reiner.

 Some of the most common tickets are issued to students and faculty who park in fire lanes or handicap spots without permits, said Jeff Morgan, a shift supervisor. Morgan is also responsible for reviewing parking appeals. Students sometimes expect a quick response to their citation appeal, said Morgan.

According to Morgan, communication and patience are key to making his and other officers’ jobs on campus easier.

 The parking issue on campus has negatively affected the reputation of Public Safety officers. Some students find them notorious for issuing parking tickets. Malwal hopes that officers are more approachable. “I see them a bunch but I don’t really see them foster a relationship with many students,” said Malwal.

Recognizing this perspective, Public Safety has been working to build better relationships with the student community. Through training programs and hosting events with students, it is its hope that students understand that they are not only focused on issuing tickets. Student safety and well-being is Public Safety’s main priority.