Phoenix police will take the lead role in the security of ASU's still-developing Downtown campus, set to open next fall.
"The city of Phoenix police will handle all police functions for the campus, and ASU [police] will have a few police aides on campus to help with security, the escort service and a few other smaller situations," said ASU spokeswoman Leah Hardesty.
The ASU Department of Public Safety is still in talks with Phoenix police on the finer details of the partnership, Hardesty said.
"A lot of it will be more determined as we recognize what the needs are going to be on that campus," she added. "You can't really assess what is going to be needed out there until we actually have students out there and the campus is open."
Phoenix police Sgt. Andy Hill said most of ASU's new campus is in the area already designated as the Downtown Operations Unit. That area spans from Fillmore Street to the railroad tracks south of Jackson Street between Seventh Avenue and Seventh Street.
"Basically, everything is already in place," he said. "[When the campus opens] then we can just make manpower adjustments as needed."
In the square mile that encompasses the downtown unit, Phoenix police statistics show at least one homicide was reported between Jan. 1 and Oct. 31 of this year.
During the same period, 80 aggravated assaults, 31 robberies and at least 10 sexual assaults were reported in the area.
Phoenix police also reported 227 burglary incidents, 288 theft cases, 110 auto thefts and at least one arson incident in the first 10 months of 2005.
The latest statistics from ASU DPS are not comparable to the Phoenix numbers because they cover a different time period and rely on different crime definitions.
ASU isn't the only entity moving into the Downtown Operations Unit. Hill said a number of other projects are also moving in, including the Translational Genomics Research Institute, several new hotels, the expansion of Phoenix Civic Plaza and the Valley's light-rail system.
The Downtown Operations Unit may grow as ASU and others move into the area and needs are assessed, he said.
Reach the reporter at brian.indrelunas@asu.edu.
