MSA, MUPD to sponsor second blue light demo
Published July 21, 2004
Senators want to add a healthy blue glow to campus.
Members of Missouri Students Association are working with the MU Police Department to inform students and parents about campus safety initiatives.
MSA Senate Clerk Greg Chase and MU Police Chief Jack Watring have scheduled a blue light emergency telephone demonstration for Sept. 8. A demonstration was held March 3 when an officer responded to a call from senators at the blue light station near the south end of Memorial Union.
"A lot of information was taken out of the last demonstration," Chase said. "We'd like the same thing to happen and make more students aware. We want them to know the blue lights are there for security and comfort."
There are 174 blue light systems across campus, Watring said.
Last semester, the Student Fee Capital Improvements Committee approved $30,000 for two new blue lights, Chase said.
One of the emergency telephones will be installed at the back of the Trowbridge
parking area and the other will be located near Hulston Hall, he said.
John Andersen, Student Affairs Committee chairman, said the safety presentation will help new students feel comfortable on campus.
"Everyone walks by blue lights and don't think much about them," he said. "The real value of blue lights is that they are a crime deterrent. There are very serious incidents in which the blue light is utilized, and I believe that speaks to the job they do of deterring and preventing crime."
Chase said the blue lights are used 22 to 25 times per month on average.
Watring and Chase also are organizing a safety walk early in the semester to canvas the campus and make sure blue lights are working.
"We're going to look at certain areas that maybe aren't lit well, check to see if lights are burned out," Chase said. "It makes our campus aware that we're on top of things. This is so we don't just sit back and say, 'Our campus is safe.'
We're actually going to go through and look at it."
Watring said members of MSA and MUPD agreed after the last blue light demonstration that such activities should continue.
"We think the blue light demo and safety walks are important
opportunities to interact with students and provide information that is safety
related," Watring said. "It is also an opportunity for students to get to know
what services the police department offers and to answer questions about crime
and safety."
Andersen said his committee plans on meeting with Watring early in the fall for a forum to voice concerns his committee has regarding campus safety.
"All members of the police department are interested in making the campus as safe as possible," Watring said. "And anything we can do to further our community policing concepts, we will be involved in."