Wednesday, November 27, 1996
POLICE:
Officials take a second look at night escort policy in wake of
tragedyBy Shari Sklut
Daily Bruin Contributor
Continuing in the search for a suspect in connection with the
first homicide at UCLA in six years, university and Los Angeles
police officers are following several different leads.
No arrests have been made for the Sept. 14 murder of Kevin
Jeske, a Central Ticket Office employee.
Jeske, 37, was killed by a single shot to the chest after he
deposited receipts from a Wadsworth Theater show to the CTO, police
said.
The suspect, who fled the scene without the funds, was witnessed
leaving in a red 1980s model Nissan 240SX or 300ZX driven by a
second suspect.
"The case is being actively investigated, and there are leads
that are being actively pursued," said UCPD Sgt. James
Vandenberg.
Police said that after being escorted by private security
officers from Wadsworth Theater to his car, Jeske carried the money
alone to the ticket office.
Officials said that while employees making cash transfers from
the Theater often ask for police escorts, UCPD policy is to escort
employees only upon request.
The murder triggered a formal inquiry into the police
department’s escort policies, Capt. Terry Baker said.
"Police officers have always been available to conduct cash
escorts" between points on campus, Baker said, noting that it is
difficult to escort every cash transaction on campus due to the
high number of transfers that occur every day.
Baker said that university police officials are in the process
of reviewing a campuswide protocol to establish the standards by
which police or other armed escorts can be provided on campus.
"Obviously when we have a tragic and unfortunate event like this
we re-examine our policies, and just like the rest of society,
we’re going to have to upgrade and we’re going to have to intensify
our efforts to ensure the security of our students and staff,"
Police Chief Clarence Chapman said.
Chapman noted that security measures would be increased, with
more uniformed patrols of campus, as well as escorts for night
deposits.
In an attempt to help solve the case, the university, along with
the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and the City Council,
are offering a $45,000 reward for any information leading to the
capture and conviction of the suspects.