Local police join together to help patrol IU, city

Layers of law enforcement blanket the Bloomington and IU communities, but where does the IU Police Department’s jurisdiction end and the others begin?

The usual agencies witnessed on a day-to-day basis include the Monroe County Sheriff, Indiana State Police, Bloomington Police Department and IUPD. Indiana Code establishes jurisdiction for IUPD.

According to the code, IUPD has jurisdiction on “real property owned and occupied by the state educational institution ... including streets passing through and adjacent to the state educational institution.”

For example, IUPD is lawfully allowed to enforce state law on the parts of Jordan Avenue and 10th Street that run directly through campus.

“Our jurisdiction is also stretched until Dunn Street and the bypass, the roads adjacent to IU,” IUPD Sgt. Craig Munroe said.

However, Indiana Code also permits the extension of IUPD’s jurisdiction with the consent of the Sheriff’s Department.

According to the code, “additional jurisdiction may be established by agreement ... with the appropriate law enforcement agency where the property is located.”

“Bloomington Police Department allows us at IUPD to enforce law in the city of Bloomington, and the Sheriff’s Department grants us law-enforcing powers in the county,” Munroe said.

The BPD dispatch center is located at IUPD. All calls made by landlines on the campus of IU, such as telephones in academic buildings and dormitories, will transfer to that answering point.

“There are two in the county,” Munroe said. “Most counties are down to just one, PSAPs are used specifically at airports and universities.”

However, BPD handles the majority of the calls.

“The remainder of 9-1-1 dialed calls, including those made by cellular phones on- and off-campus, go to Monroe County Central Dispatch at BPD,” BPD Capt. Joe Qualters said.

The Bloomington Post of the ISP also helps patrol the area. Its jurisdiction includes Monroe, Brown, Greene, Lawrence and Owen counties.

“Though it is rare, we will take calls in city limits. There are times we assist the Bloomington Police Department. It may just end up being who is closer,” ISP District Lt. Paul Bucher said.

Munroe explained that unlike most police dramas, there is no battle of who controls which jurisdiction in the Bloomington area.

“BPD Chief Dietkoff is a graduate of our IU Police Academy, and (James) Kennedy, the Monroe County Sheriff, used to be chief of Bloomington Police Department,” Munroe said. “It’s a tight-knit group.”