New Haven officials are condemning the Yale police union for handing out “first-year survival guides” during move-in last weekend.
The union, who told officials that they are unhappy with contract proposals, warned students to avoid public transportation, insure their property and stay in their dorms after 8 p.m.
The president of the union told Yale Police Chief Anthony Campbell that they were “offended” by the number proposed by the university, and the flyers were their response.
“When the university approached them with their proposed dollar amount for the contract, they were offended, and members of the union decided that something needed to be done. And this is what they decided to do,” Campbell said.
Campbell said he was not aware of the union’s plans to hand the flyers out.
“I'm really disgusted that they have chosen to take this path,” Campbell said. “There are so many other options for us to go down to discuss how to get to a place where we have a fair and equitable contract.”
New Haven Mayor Justin Elicker said crime in the city has actually decreased over the last three years, a statement that was echoed by Yale’s Associate Vice President for Public Safety Ronnell Higgins.
“Robberies are down 30% compared to last year, and throughout the City of New Haven, robberies and burglaries are also down,” Higgins said. “The most reported crime on campus is the theft of laptops, cell phones and motorized scooters left unattended and unsecured."
Elicker said he fully supports the rights of unions to organize and fight for a fair contract, but said that this was not the right way to do it.
“Yale students, you should come here and explore our city, you should embrace our city, you should get out into the neighborhoods instead of being afraid of our neighborhoods, like the Yale police union might lead you to believe,” Elicker said.
The flyer is nearly identical to one handed out by the New York City police union in the 1970s.
The Yale Police Benevolent Association did not reply to a request for comment.
