While Whitman may not be a large city school in a rough neighborhood or have the Hilton sisters as students, its rumor mill operates overtime.   From the playful story of a ghost in North Hall to more insidious rumors, the gossip is always titillating. One of the most controversial products of campus hearsay is that Whitman subsidizes police cruisers to shield students from the law.

According to one version of this rumor, former president Thomas Cronin (who served from 1993-2005) funded Walla Walla Police Department (WWPD) patrol vehicles for campus use.

Allegedly, Cronin “bought off” the police so that they would protect the campus but let students off easily in instances of underage drinking and partying.

“I don’t know if it is true, but it goes along with other stories of Whitman students [being] left alone by the law,” said junior David Protter.

Protter listed some examples, including Whitman students who scaled the Marcus Whitman with grappling hooks only to be picked up by the college shortly after, students caught hot-boxing a car in the wheat fields and told by the officer to “have a safe night,” and instances of students whose speeding tickets are waived when they “accidentally” pull out their Whitman I.D.s

According to some students, Whitman is a major financial supporter of the police department.

“I’ve heard that Whitman is the number one funder of the police force, buying them new cop cars each year,” said senior Matt Cameron.

Another part of the rumor is that current president George Bridges stopped subsidizing police cars because he found it immoral.

Bridges, however, called the rumor humorous but untrue, adding that speculation about Whitman’s involvement in the community may have originated because of another former president, Chester Maxey (president from 1948-1959).

“At one point… Maxey was also the mayor of Walla Walla.   He may have undertaken something like this,” Bridges said. “I do know that he is single-handedly responsible for shutting down the brothels in Walla Walla, partly to keep the Whitman men in line, but also at the request of the federal government.”

Chester Maxey’s autobiography, “The World I Lived In: A Personal Story,” reflected on his time as mayor, including his controversial crackdown on prostitution and gambling, which until that time had been largely tolerated.   While illegal, these activities persisted because the police force “turned a blind eye,” according to Maxey.

For all those conspiracy theorists that love a good rumor depicting the “bad” side of Whitman, police payoffs make a fun story to retell, but lack any clear evidence.  

Whitman’s Treasurer and Financial Officer Peter Harvey said that while Whitman’s relationship with the police department is “collaborative,” the WWPD receives no funding from the college.

Off-duty fire fighters and police officers are also allowed to use Baker Ferguson Fitness Center for training purposes.  

“Though the college encourages faculty community service –– just as it encourages community service in the student body –– the college itself does not financially contribute to the police department,” Harvey said.

“To the best of my knowledge… the answer is ‘no,'” said Bridges. “We do not have subsidized police cars from the Walla Walla Police Department.”