Spring Break
letter to the editor
Editor's note: The following letter is in response to "Campus unsafe" by Erin McNamee, which appeared in the September 23 issue of the WC.
Issue date: 9/28/05 Section: Opinion
The Office of Public Safety would like to respond to Erin McNamee's column, "Campus Unsafe."
The incidents that Ms. McNamee mentioned in her column were statements that officers did take from female students who reported being harassed or assaulted. These incidents are taken seriously and are thoroughly investigated. It was not the intent of OPS to dispel these incidents as rumors. The rumors mentioned in the recent statement put forth by OPS were meant to inform the public that false information is circulating on campus about numerous sexual assaults occurring on campus.
These incidents - had they occurred and been reported - would be investigated and included in the OPS Report that is distributed Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and posted on the Campus Crime Report website.
Ms. McNamee also stated that officers spend more time ticketing cars and going undercover in the bars to arrest underage drinkers. Our police officers do not ticket vehicles; Western employs full-time parking service agents to enforce parking rules. Our officers do not patrol nightclubs; these facilities fall under the jurisdiction of the local police department.
If an individual does not wish to walk alone on campus during the evening hours, there are Student Patrol members who are available to provide escorts during the evening to early morning hours. Student Patrol can be reached by calling OPS at 309/298-1949. If a Student Patrol member is not available, OPS officers will also provide escorts on campus.
In addition to escort services, there are 49 emergency call boxes located at strategic locations throughout campus, including five in Q-Lot, and two more are being installed on campus. During the 2004-05 school year, the blue lights were activated 114 times; five of those 114 activations required police assistance.
OPS employs 25 police officers and a number of those officers are on duty patrolling campus, including Adams Street and all parking lots, by car, foot and bicycle 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Police officers are stationed in residence halls, and Student Patrol watches various areas on campus seven days per week.
I would encourage any individual who wishes more information on services offered through OPS or to request an escort, call 309/298-1949. In addition, individuals who have a comment or concern can file a report by filling out a form available at www.wiu.edu/ops/cupp.
- Robert Fitzgerald
Director, Office of Public Safety
The incidents that Ms. McNamee mentioned in her column were statements that officers did take from female students who reported being harassed or assaulted. These incidents are taken seriously and are thoroughly investigated. It was not the intent of OPS to dispel these incidents as rumors. The rumors mentioned in the recent statement put forth by OPS were meant to inform the public that false information is circulating on campus about numerous sexual assaults occurring on campus.
These incidents - had they occurred and been reported - would be investigated and included in the OPS Report that is distributed Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and posted on the Campus Crime Report website.
Ms. McNamee also stated that officers spend more time ticketing cars and going undercover in the bars to arrest underage drinkers. Our police officers do not ticket vehicles; Western employs full-time parking service agents to enforce parking rules. Our officers do not patrol nightclubs; these facilities fall under the jurisdiction of the local police department.
If an individual does not wish to walk alone on campus during the evening hours, there are Student Patrol members who are available to provide escorts during the evening to early morning hours. Student Patrol can be reached by calling OPS at 309/298-1949. If a Student Patrol member is not available, OPS officers will also provide escorts on campus.
In addition to escort services, there are 49 emergency call boxes located at strategic locations throughout campus, including five in Q-Lot, and two more are being installed on campus. During the 2004-05 school year, the blue lights were activated 114 times; five of those 114 activations required police assistance.
OPS employs 25 police officers and a number of those officers are on duty patrolling campus, including Adams Street and all parking lots, by car, foot and bicycle 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Police officers are stationed in residence halls, and Student Patrol watches various areas on campus seven days per week.
I would encourage any individual who wishes more information on services offered through OPS or to request an escort, call 309/298-1949. In addition, individuals who have a comment or concern can file a report by filling out a form available at www.wiu.edu/ops/cupp.
- Robert Fitzgerald
Director, Office of Public Safety
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