Recently on the SNU campus, there was an auto burglary in the Marchant parking lot. Every item was stolen including the belongings inside the locked glove box. When incidents like this happen it is important for students to be reminded of the campus safety guidelines.
All students should understand that personal safety should never be taken for granted. This is not a first time occurrence on the SNU Campus as numerous bikes , IPhones, laptops and wallets have been stolen.
Precautions students may want to take include the following: refrain from leaving anything valuable in a vehicle or unattended in a building, be aware of their surroundings and always use a substantial bike lock to secure bikes on the rack.
Director of the Safety and Security Office, Glen Holcomb, wants students to know that his team is working hard every day and night to keep our campus free of crime. Even through their strong commitment, SNU security still needs everyone to do their part. He states, “We rely heavily on our own faculty, staff and students to report suspicious behaviors of people, packages, backpacks and vehicles parked in areas that must be kept free due to possible emergencies.”
The Southern Nazarene University campus is equipped with a 24-hour safety dispatch center, which is located in the west foyer of the Beaver Science Building. Students may contact security through their SafeZone app or by calling 405-491-6309. The Bethany Police Department also works alongside our security team to ensure SNU is as safe as possible.
Since 2013, SNU Security has worked steadily to increase the video surveillance camera system. With a dedicated team, they have prioritized the need for repairs, maintenance and deciding the location of the cameras. Last year, admissions approved a five-year contract with Orion Security Solutions to increase the amount of cameras and more importantly, the quality of the cameras. SNU now has 200 operational video cameras all working properly on a new system called Genetec.
Many people question the absence of cameras in certain places, and the reason is because there is no funding. Security tries to place cameras by priority. No one knows where crime will occur, but when it does, SNU safety and security keep track of it and look at what they can do differently to prevent another one from happening.
One of the apps SNU security has invested in, to provide immediate response for students in need, is “SafeZone.” The free app allows students to contact security or call 911 for an emergency by one click. Although security has tried to encourage students to download this app, only 25% of the student body has it.
Students seem to think downloading Safezone means their privacy is violated. For one, this is not true, security only has access to a person’s location if they specifically click “check in”. This app is important for every student to carry on their smart phone. It is the quickest way to contact security. Another assumption students make is that they won’t ever need medical or safety assistance on campus. While one can pray this to be true, security says “It is better to have the app and not need it, than to need the app and not have it.”
Imagine hearing gun shots or a disturbance going on inside a building. To notify security, one simply would need to open the app and tap the emergency button. Afterwards, security would immediately have access to the location of the students, who are alerting the situation, without even speaking to them. Take in consideration that even if a person is never in a situation where they are in need of help, anyone who has the app would be able to use it for the aid of others — including staff and faculty.
A situation came about with a student who has a history of seizures. Fearing being alone while having an attack, security taught her how to use the SafeZone app. Soon after, the student sense an oncoming seizure and was able to reach emergency services in fewer steps with the safe zone app than by dialing the dispatch number. Officer Sam Harkey connected with her through the app giving her medical instructions right before the student went unconscious. Meanwhile, Glen Holcomb made his way to her location using the information that he received from the app. If it had not been for SafeZone, security would not have known who it was calling or the student’s location.
Last Monday, an annual security email was shared with each student. Below is a PDF document that incorporates safety mechanisms for every case scenario. It is extremely important for each student to take the time to go through these documents. Security strongly believes a well-informed community is better served and much safer.
Continue to keep the safety and security team in prayer, and thank them the next time for all their hard work.
[author image=”http://echo.snu.edu/wp-content/uploads/2016/09/IMG_5404-e1472777765292.jpg”]
Cheyenne Reynolds, Staff Writer
Cheyenne Reynolds is a junior Sports Information major from San Diego, California. She is part of the Crimson Storm Softball team, and the Student Government Association on campus. She enjoys the beach, traveling, photography, movies, sporting events, and doing missionary work. Cheyenne has aspirations of being a sideline reporter and owning her own magazine company that incorporates both sports and missionary publishings. [/author]