The State College Police Department is asking for a budget increase of more than $300,000 for 2004, adding to the recent trend of State College Borough Council allocating large funding increases to the department.

Since 2001, the department's operating budget has increased by more than $1 million, with most of the money going toward overtime and benefits for officers. This money shows that safety in the borough is a priority for council.

But with many calling for more police officers patrolling the streets of State College on foot in the wake of recent assaults and alcohol-related incidents, and Chief Tom King saying such patrols would require additional officers to be hired, the trend shows a glaring problem. Even though the department's allocations from council are increasing, the funding hikes are not enough for proactive safety measures, such as the hiring of more officers.

The department and council need to consider all available options to help solve the problem. State College needs more foot patrols in light of the recent sexual assaults, and if the only way that can occur is with more officers on the department's payroll, then more officers should be hired.

In order to accomplish this goal, officials should look to the federal and state governments for money. It is a time of tight budgets at both levels of government, but the safety of students on the campuses of the state and the country should be a priority.

Officials have attributed the funding increases from council partially to the loss of grant money.

Members of the department should work proactively to restore this money and explore why so much money has dried up in such a short period of time, so such a loss of funding does not occur in the future.

The idea of consolidating the numerous independent police departments in the State College area into one regional force should be thoroughly explored. These departments already share officers and aid each other during investigations. If functions now performed by multiple people in separate departments can be consolidated into one position within a single regional department, the savings could be substantial.

The police department, council, and federal and state officials must work together to give students -- the constituency they are charged to protect -- the safe campus and town they deserve.