UConn, Mansfield Officials Plan to Continue Talks with Students Regarding Safety

University of Connecticut and Mansfield officials are looking to continue talks with students following Tuesday's forum on police services at the UConn Student Union Theatre.

Sgt. Richard Cournoyer of the Mansfield Resident State Trooper's Office said that while the turnout - around two dozen students - was "disappointing," he was hopeful of reaching a wider audience at future gatherings.

“It’s always been my goal to have an audience where I can talk to the students," Cournoyer said. "I always want to be able to communicate with them whether it be orientation, First Year Experience (FYE) classes ... somewhere where we have a forum where the students can be educated on the expectations [of the university and town],” he said.

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John Armstrong, director of off-campus student services at UConn, said Tuesday that university officials will also be exploring ways to further educate the student population on police services and the role that law enforcement plays on and off campus - particularly at locations such as Carriage House.

Cournoyer said that both students and officers could benefit from an open discussion on how to maintain a safe environment within the community.

"Maybe with 100 people, we'll 100 good ideas and we can figure this thing out together,” he said. 

Regardless of the turnout, officials said they believed the forum was effective.

“I think it went very well,” Armstrong said. “I think the responses from the police were spot on. I think they answered students’ questions very well and I thought the students were very respectful with their questions," he said.