NIU’s Department of Public Safety, the Office of University Programming and Activities and the University Judicial Office have started a program to have liaison officers act as a resource for the university’s Greek organizations.

Lt. Matt Kiederlen of the University Police, said that officer Joe Przybyla came up with the idea this summer and presented it to the department. Kiederlen said that the department liked the idea and told him to run with it.

“The main purpose of the program is to act as a source of information and communication with the Greek community,” said Kiederlen.

The liaison officer program started this semester. The University Programming and Activities office and NIU’s Judicial Office are working in conjunction with NIU police to implement this program, said Kiederlen.

He said the program’s intention is to provide another means for the Greek community and police to communicate with each other. He said the program will provide educational instruction for Greeks so they can run their chapters appropriately and have the activities they want conducted in a safe manner.

Currently there are four officers who are very active in the program with others assisting them, Kiederlen said. He stressed that officers are not looking to stop poor behavior and/or activities through this program, but rather stop them before they start.

As part of the program, officers are going to chapter meetings and Greek council meetings, said Kiederlen. He said officers are trying to concentrate on the larger chapters for now. Whenever members of Greek organizations have concerns or a problem with something, they can come to the officers who can offer help with their problem.

“I think it’s a good program,” said Chris Juhl, activities advisor for fraternity and sorority affairs at NIU.

Juhl said he does not know if this program is going to be successful because it is new. Although he said the program is not absolutely necessary, he did say he thinks it could be very beneficial to the Greek community. Juhl said that if a chapter wants to have someone come in and talk about hazing or underage drinking, for example, the department will arrange it.

But what Juhl hopes to get out of the program is for it to be educational and help chapters prepare a healthy, well-rounded environment for their members, Juhl said.

Larry Bolles, director of the University Judicial Office, said the main purpose of the liaison officer program is to prevent criminal activity.

Students are more likely to go to an officer they know and trust to report things, said Bolles. If violations do occur, officers can either arrest a student or refer them to the University Judicial Office, he said.

Bolles said this program is intended to act as a preventative measure, not to generate more arrests. He said the officers are there to be supportive of students and that often, the criminal activities that happen on Greek Row have nothing to do with students and usually involve people that are outside the university community.

“I think it’s great. It’s going to help us out a lot,” said Diana Valencia, president of Alpha Psi Lambda.

Valencia said the officers had a meeting with the organizations and gave them contact information so they could get in touch with them if they have any concerns. She said the officers have offered to go to chapter meetings and that they are there to help them out or get them in touch with someone who can help them with their problems.

“Knowing that they’re there to support us is very beneficial,” she said. “I think it’ll make it safer on Greek Row.”