Blue light inspection turns up busted bulbs but working phones

By Jedd Rosche

Published May 2, 2006

An inspection by Missouri Students Association and campus officials of blue lights around campus found that though all the emergency telephones are working, some had burned-out lights or were obstructed by foliage.

The inspection, called a "safety walk," also found inadequate lighting in some areas of campus. Representatives from the Residence Hall Association, Campus Facilities and the Department of Parking and Transportation took part in the April inspection.

Andrew Cafourek, director of the Department of Student Services, who organized the inspection, said there were four groups that traveled four routes, covering the whole campus at night.

"The idea was to bring administrators and staff of the university together with students and go around campus and identify spaces that could be problematic," Cafourek said.

Cafourek said the primary complaint he heard from students was the lack of lightning around campus, including spaces behind Stankowski Field and near the Hearnes Center.

"We looked at the lighting in areas out at Hearnes," Cafourek said. "We are trying to get lights on out there later (at night)."

A safety walk conducted by MSA in fall 2004 found the same complaints about the amount of lighting near and around the Hearnes Center and the Mizzou Arena. Another safety walk in fall 2005 also emphasized a lack of lighting on campus and in parking lots.

Other complaints included blue lights that had burned-out bulbs or were blocked by foliage.

Campus Facilities spokesman Phil Shocklee said his department monitored the physical maintenance of each blue light while a private company, Telecom, monitored the direct connection between blue lights and the MU Police Department.

MSA President John Andersen said that though blue lights are not the responsibility of student government, these safety walks allow students to voice their concerns.

The results of the safety walk come after two new blue lights were approved by separate committees, including the Student Fee Capital Improvements Committee, which approved one behind Stankowski Field, and the Hearnes Center Committee, which approved another to be out at Hearnes Center parking lot.

"We are working on hammering out the logistics for their installations," Andersen said.

Each blue light costs approximately $20,000.

Shocklee said the price could vary depending on how far a blue light emergency telephone is from a power source.

MUPD Capt. Brian Weimer said the blue lights are effective tools at preventing crime.

"They provide more contacts on campus," Weimer said. "It immediately rings with communications officer, and there is no dialing involved."

In a previous Maneater article, it was reported that MU Police Department records showed that between July 1, 2005 and Jan. 28 officers responded to 171 calls from emergency call boxes, including blue lights. None of the calls led to arrests.

Weimer said the response time of MUPD to blue light emergency telephone distress signals varied from emergency to routine calls.

"In an absolute emergency, we aim for a response time of three minutes or less," Weimer said. "In the event of routine call, it would be a little bit longer."

Weimer said routine calls include, among other things, being locked out of a building, asking for direction and having a flat tire.