The Scarlet Beat: The Evolution of Law Enforcement at Rutgers

Abstract

This article details the development of the Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD), from its origins as a parking department to its present form as a professional law enforcement agency. It assesses the RUPD both topically and chronologically, analyzing the department's evolving administrative structure, personnel, uniforms, and use of firearms. Fundamentally, the article tracks the RUPD's balance of its in loco parentis role, tied to its university-based existence, with the need for accomplishing more traditional law enforcement objectives as Rutgers expanded and evolved.