By By Crystal Cohen

Even though the University passed its safety test, there are still some crucial safety components that everyone should know.

When it comes to choosing a college or university, safety is a key issue that prospective students must take into consideration. While many students are preoccupied with the thoughts of independence and freedom that comes with being away from home, they fail to look at the bigger picture. The University is safety ensured with everything from students patrolling the campus, to blue light emergency systems.

“Most of the time I feel safe around campus, you can’t go very far without seeing public safety,” junior Jamie Morris said. “Even if you feel uneasy, you can call public safety and ask them to drive you or escort you anywhere.”

The escort service is just one of the features offered to University students, providing 24-hour service across the 240-acre campus. It takes students to and from a parking lot or from the academic side of campus to the residence halls.

Ed Bracht, the director of public safety, is a Certified Protection Professional who has been protecting the University’s campus for 21 years. Recently, the risk management firm of Kroll Inc. evaluated public safety and the emergency response plan on campus. The report said, under the direction of Bracht, the University’s safety program is one of the best and accommodating within the community.

However, Kroll Inc. did find specific problems of University safety. These findings were addressed with specific recommendations, which according to the University were immediately implemented.

This year, six blue emergency alert systems were added to campus, bringing the total of blue lights on the north and south sides of campus to 36. The system allows a person to directly contact public safety, alerting officers to any problems ranging from a trespasser or intruder, to a flat tire. The system automatically alerts public safety to the location.

In April, a non-University student was arrested and charged with trespassing after being found hiding in bushes on campus. The bushes were then trimmed, preventing anyone from hiding behind them. Bracht referred to this as “safety by environmental design.”

Flash your card to pass go-student ID cards not only contain meal plan points and Dutch debits, but also grant entry onto the campus and into the residence halls. Your ID card is used to keep track of swipe history and whereabouts on campus.

From 10 p.m. and continuing until approximately 6 a.m., only two entrances are open. The main entrance off Hempstead Turnpike is to be used by both students and visitors; the latter of whom must provide proper identification and information about who they are visiting and in what residence hall.

“Students can swipe their cards like an EZ Pass at the Oak Street entrance,” Bracht said. The Oak Street entrance is open late, but only for entry. It is strictly for students because University ID is required.

Another safety precaution that the University has taken, are the surveillance cameras that monitor who enters and exits the residence halls.

“I have never felt threatened on campus,” said Alexander Kornprobst, an International student from Germany. “Campus is not a prison, so there doesn’t need to be surveillance, but I believe that all necessary precautions are taken to ensure students safety.”

“I basically make sure that people who live in the buildings swipe their student cards to get in, while making sure I get ID from any guests,” said Christopher Babos an Resident Safety Representatives of eight months. “It keeps the buildings safe and it helps to keep the campus better protected.”

This year, new turnstiles were installed in Nassau, Suffolk and Colonial Square Residence Halls, and because of approximately 50 new parking spaces being added to the Netherlands complex, new turnstiles will be added there next year. Almost all of the residence halls are equipped with automatically locking doors, which will soon be implemented throughout.

A student reported in April that she found an unidentified male in her dorm room after returning from the bathroom, and in May public safety issued 22 summonses to students in Suffolk Hall for propped doors. During the past year the auto-lock feature significantly reduced unauthorized entry into dorm rooms. There were 25 unauthorized entries in the Nassau and Suffolk residence halls in past years compared to only two this year.

The student safety staff monitors the campus along with public safety officers who are on “vertical patrol.” This means there are certain officers assigned to specific residence halls who circulate the buildings and check that nothing is out of the ordinary.

“I’m a blue jacket, which means I monitor the campus and do things such as issue parking tickets,” Manuel Rodriguez, a sophomore student safety staff member, said. “Then you have the yellow shirts who monitor parties and events and the blue shirts who intervene if a problem arises.”

“I think a lot of students are apathetic and live in their own world,” said Sarah Kluesner, former student coordinator for resident safety. “They walk around assuming that public safety and resident safety are trying to make their lives harder, instead of safer.”

Regardless of the safety features, students are still vulnerable to danger if they do not remain alert and aware of their surroundings.

“Security is like a 1,000 piece puzzle,” Bracht said. “Not any one entity can make the campus safer, but collectively a difference can be made.”

One of the University´s blue emergency alert systems. (Anastasia Tsioutas/The Chronicle)