The Tufts University Police Department (TUPD) and the Medford Police Department are currently investigating an incident in which non-university-affiliated persons in a motor vehicle shouted racial slurs at a group of Tufts students on Nov. 2.
According to an email sent out to the Tufts community from University President Anthony Monaco, TUPD responded to an early morning report that occupants of a motor vehicle on College Avenue had shouted derogatory terms at students. Officers later stopped the vehicle and identified the occupants.
"I know that our university community shares my deep concern over a report such as this, which highlights the importance of our shared commitment to protect members of our community from racism," Monaco said.
TUPD was unable to comment on the pending investigation. Kevin Maguire, director of the Department of Public and Environmental Safety, stressed that he and the rest of the department are determined to prevent such incidents from happening again.
"We'd like to echo the President's message that our university community shares deep concern over such reports and that we are deeply committed to protecting our community from racism," Maguire told the Daily in an email.
Nancy Wilson, interim dean of the Jonathan M. Tisch College of Citizenship and Public Service, also expressed concerns about the occurrence.
"From our perspective, these types of incidents are too common, so while it's certainly important to respond when they happen and we hear about them, it's also very important for active citizens to work every day toward building a world in which these incidents don't happen in the first place," Wilson told the Daily in an email. "Tisch College places a high priority on this point in the programs that we develop and implement."
Katie Cinnamond, assistant director of public relations, echoed these sentiments.
"I think the main thing about these incidents ... is that they happen all the time," Cinnamond said. "It's important for us, as global citizens, to think about how to respond to them and to build [safer] communities."
