ASWSU senators passed a resolution to honor a police officer who has served the Pullman and WSU communities for the past several years at their meeting on Wednesday.

Resolution 46-31 was created to commemorate Pullman Police Officer Shane Emerson, who is nearing the end of his four-year assignment to the College Hill beat. The WSU Alumni Association has recognized Emerson as an “Adopted Cougar.”

The College Hill beat was first created to help build a relationship between law enforcement and WSU students in response to the College Hill riot on May 3, 1998. During the riot, three people were arrested and 23 officers were injured.

“The beat position was initially started to keep a finger on the pulse of Greek Row,” Emerson said. “This position has taught me how to be a better cop, there should be no judgements made in this job.”

He said he has loved working on Greek Row and that WSU as a whole creates better people. He said he would have kept doing it for the rest of his career as a police officer if he could. However, the position only allows a single four-year term.

The Senate passed the resolution unanimously and Emerson, who was in attendance, received an ovation from all the senators present. Pullman Police officials assigned Officer Alex Gordon to fill the position in Emerson’s place.

Senate Bill 46-47, if passed, would create two additional seats for new delegates, including one for transfer students and another for freshman students.

“There are 4,000 freshman students,” freshman delegate Taylor McGriff said. “That means I represent 2,000 students. I cannot do that effectively and so I am all for this bill.”

Sen. Austin Brown, however, was did not agree with the bill in its current form.

“This bill leaves Running Start students out, they would be the only ones not allowed to get involved in ASWSU in their first semester,” Brown said. “I have worked to change this since the Rules Committee.”

Sen. Josue Zuniga, the lead bill’s lead author, took a stand against Brown’s position.

“If you wanted this change, I would have been willing to work with you if you had gotten with me in the beginning,” Zuniga said. “At this time, I will not consider this revision.”

The Senate tabled the bill until later in the meeting and eventually passed it by a 10 to four vote.