Written by Julia Rodriquez, Staff Writer

The amount of safety a college provides affects the decisions made by students who are looking to go there.  Parents want their children in a safe environment, and students want a comfortable place to learn.  With campus safety being a factor in enrollment, it is essential that VSU ensures a secure university.

The morning of Sept. 8 there were several break-ins that occurred at Sustella Parking Deck.  The suspects were caught in the act and apprehended.  This does not change the fact that some students fear the security cameras in the parking deck are not on or recording. However, students should know that the cameras are always being monitored in the police station.   In fact, there are a number of safety features and procedures that VSU has to ensure the safety of students.

According to VSU’s Chief of Police, Ronald Seacrist, there are well over a hundred blue-light phones across campus that undergo maintenance checks weekly, a crime prevention officer, crime alerts, and a 24-hour escort service, among many other routines that officers have to keep students safe.

“We go beyond what is technically required, as far as providing a service to the community, to try and enhance the safety of the campus,” said Seacrist.

The police will park outside of buildings where night classes are held, so when students are dismissed, there is an extra level of protection as they go to their cars or dorms.  Also, the crime prevention officer will meet with any students who want to learn to protect themselves in addition to being protected by the police.

“I don’t recruit officers the same as I would if this were the city police department” said Seacrist.

When searching for colleges, it is important not to look solely at numbers of crimes, because that varies with population, but to look at how the police handle these crimes and what the campus does to keep students safe.