The Moscow Police Department has developed a good relationship with the people of the town and University of Idaho community, and Captain James Fry has been a part of that for years.
Fry will be approved as the new Chief of Police by Moscow Mayor Bill Lambert April 18, replacing current Chief David Duke, who is set to retire later in the spring.
Duke served the community well as chief, and Fry will inherit a lot of responsibility when he begins his position soon. He hasn”t mentioned much that he plans to do differently from Duke, but it”s important for him to take note of how the community of Moscow is ever-evolving, particularly this year.
Earlier this month, medical amnesty was signed into law in Idaho through the work of state legislators and ASUI representatives. Fry should take this into account. Because it was UI students who worked to pass this legislation, it means this is something that is important to other students, too. Fry and the rest of the MPD continually work to protect those students along with the rest of Moscow.
With high hopes for ASUI, students are likely to stand up for important issues in the future. Fry should keep his finger on the pulse of what”s important to them.
It”s hard to ignore the impact of sexual assault throughout the country, especially on college campuses. How college communities handle sexual assault is important to the students who inhabit them.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, but that doesn”t mean people shouldn”t remain aware of the issue throughout the year. This shouldn”t be a problem for Fry, however, as he spent much of his time investigating sexual assault and domestic violence cases in the past.
For the rest of the community, sexual assault is something that deserves our attention. Often times people get a sense of security while living in Moscow, because the area is known for being so safe.
However, violence doesn”t discriminate based on location. No one thought Moscow would experience a shooting incident, but that didn”t prevent the tragic deaths of three people last year.
The same goes for sexual assault – it can happen to anyone. Awareness may not do much to prevent it, but it does a lot to spread knowledge and respect for the victims.
Moscow is a strong and relatively safe community, one Fry is already a part of. The police force has a positive relationship with the people in the area, something that is becoming rare and shouldn”t be taken advantage of.
To continue this positive relationship, both Fry and the other officers need to pay attention to the emerging trends and values of the people they are meant to protect. Humans are always evolving, and in a college town that is even more prominent.
– EB