Lately, when the University has announced an expansion into the city of Durham, it has related to the Health System.
However, the University's most recent stepping-out comes courtesy of the Duke University Police Department.
Last month, the University announced that it would be expanding to a new substation at 2024 West Main Street. The new office, located in the Red Mill Building, features a training room, conference room and two small substations-one for Duke and one for the Durham Police Department.
This is DUPD's first substation off campus and represents the first time that it will share space with the DPD.
However, the sharing will not go past the substation, as the police will not infringe on each other's beats.
"The policing will not change," said Maj. Robert Dean of DUPD. "Duke still takes care of Duke's property and Durham will take care of Durham's property-as they always do."
DUPD was not planning on an expansion until the space opened up. "This was an opportunity that was offered to us as far as the space is concerned and we took advantage of it," Dean said.
Initially, the substation was going to be only for use by DUPD, however, Duke invited DPD to share the space in order to offer a stronger local police presence.
Although DUPD moved in last month, DPD has not set a move-in date.
DPD Lt. Norman Blake said, "We are still in the planning stages right now."
This location, at the corner of Main and Ninth streets, places a daytime police presence within just a block of the East Campus wall.
"We are trying to be as close as we possibly can to some of the areas that we police," Dean said.
The building also houses other Duke offices, so the daytime police presence might give an added sense of security to other Duke employees.
Unlike DUPD's headquarters, located on Oregon Street, the substation will not be manned 24 hours each day.
Officers will use the substation primarily for making phone calls, training and holding meetings.
Likewise, DPD will not commit around-the-clock officers to the substation.
"We will tell officers who are patrolling that area to use it as a satellite station-it will be sort of an outpost," Blake said.
Blake currently works out of the Northgate Mall substation, which will assume command of the new substation.
Blake also said the new substation would be beneficial to the relationship between the two police departments. "If anything, it will enhance it," he said.
Get The Chronicle straight to your inbox
Signup for our weekly newsletter. Cancel at any time.