Columbia Hires 36 Special Patrol Officers with NYPD Powers

Photo: Reuters

Columbia University in New York has hired 36 new special patrol officers. These officers were appointed by the New York Police Department (NYPD) and will follow orders from the city’s police commissioner, according to a university spokesperson.

Columbia leaders applied to the NYPD for these officers last year. This decision came after the university had to call the NYPD twice to arrest pro-Palestinian student protesters. The students had set up tents on a campus lawn without permission and later blocked themselves inside an academic building, causing disruptions.

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What Are Special Patrol Officers?
A special patrol officer is someone who has police powers, like the ability to make arrests and use physical force if needed. These officers are not regular NYPD officers but have similar legal powers. They were chosen through the NYPD’s official hiring process and must complete extensive training, including 162 hours of state-certified courses.

The university spokesperson, Samantha Slater, explained that Columbia pays for the officers’ training and salaries. However, they will still be Columbia’s employees, not regular NYPD officers. These officers will be able to patrol Columbia’s buildings, plazas, and lawns—areas where regular NYPD officers usually can’t go unless called.

How Will They Work?
The new officers will work with Columbia’s public safety office. Unlike the 117 civilian safety staff at the university, these officers can:

• Issue tickets (citations)

• Remove people from campus if needed

• Make arrests when necessary

If they arrest someone, that person will first be processed in an office on a Columbia campus. After that, they will be taken to a nearby NYPD precinct.

Why Did Columbia Hire These Officers?
Last spring, Columbia became a hotspot for pro-Palestinian student protests, which sparked debates across the university and even in politics. Some students, faculty, and donors disagreed on how to handle the protests.

After these events, the U.S. government under President Donald Trump asked Columbia to tighten its rules about campus protests. One of the requests was that the university hire officers with arrest powers.

Columbia’s new officers will help the university respond faster to campus disruptions, the university said. They will also reduce the need to rely on the NYPD for every incident.

Concerns and Questions
Some members of Columbia’s Senate (a group that helps govern the university) said they were not fully informed about the hiring process. They were told that Columbia was looking for peace officers but weren’t aware the NYPD was involved.

In response, Columbia’s spokesperson clarified that the university was following all the necessary rules and had been open about its plans.