Campus PD offers safe way home

Utah State University is ranked seventh in the nation for safest colleges and universities, according to a recent USA Today article.

But Logan isn’t immune to all crime. In a rating of USU’s crime rates by College Factual, burglary contributes to 75 percent of reported crime, sexual assault contributes to 18 percent and motor vehicle theft contributes to 6 percent.

Resources are available for students who feel unsafe at USU. Twenty-nine emergency phones are placed around campus to quickly contact campus police. But according to the USU Police Department, cell phones are used more often than the emergency phones.

To raise awareness of campus police services, the USU police department has reached out to students through SOAR and the connections program. Officers give presentations, handing out carabiners which include a phone number students can use to call when they need assistance.

Officer Travis Dunn said a frequently-used service is the police escort. Dunn said the service isn’t taken advantage of in a negative way by students who just want a “free car ride.” Whether it is from the library to a parking lot or from the campus loop bus stop to the building their class is in, students who feel uncomfortable walking alone at night or at any time can access this service anytime by calling 435-797-1939.

“This number will take you directly to our office here (at the police department),” Dunn said. From there the police will send an escort.

These services are there to make sure that for whatever reason, security is accessible for anyone to use, Dunn said.

Although USU is a generally safe campus, there are times when people are uncomfortable walking home late at night and would like an escort to safely reach their destination.

Campus police believe these escorts in addition to the emergency phones and the availability of the campus police to assist in emergencies have been effective in creating a trust for current students.

— sidneybrocious@hotmail.com