Police escort students to safety
Quentin Anderson
Issue date: 11/12/09 Section: News
When Shena Henderson heard Tech police were shortening the golf cart escort service hours at night on campus last spring, she was both alarmed and angered by the move.
"For a young woman on a college campus walking to and from at night by herself, the escort services really gave you some sense of safety," Henderson, a senior psychology major, said.
"You can't take that away and tell a girl to figure out a new way."
Henderson said she has used the nightly escort service since she began at Tech and has always felt the carts have protected many students from potential campus crimes.
"Some nights there's a real reason to fear the campus," Henderson said.
"You don't know everyone on campus, and you definitely don't know if everyone on campus is a student."
Contrary to popular rumors, however, Tech Police never cancelled the operation completely and, in trying to both maintain campus safety and work within the restraints of budget cuts, Tech Police Chief Randal Hermes said they maintained student walkers after midnight to escort students requesting the service.
"Due to budget issues, the schedule for the operation of the cart escorts was amended," Hermes said.
"The time was changed from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. to midnight. So, in effect, even with the cart schedule amended, escorts have always continued."
Hermes also said Tech Police recently placed a golf cart escort in the new Park Place apartments to escort students until 2 a.m.
Arun Bhandari, a junior basic developmental studies major, said he appreciates the escort service and understands why it would have extra importance to female students on campus.
"I may use it to avoid walking to my dorm or to the [Maxie Lambright] Intramural Center, but it's probably most important to girls who are walking by themselves at night and could be seen as a prime target to predators," Bhandari said.
"Any protection at all is a plus. I think the carts do that."
Justin Beasley, sophomore class president and an economics major, said the Student Government Association has had a key role in keeping the escort service available to students and will continue to fund the important service.
"SGA values this service and it will become increasingly important since we are becoming a walking campus," Beasley said.
"Our campus is expanding every year and despite budget cuts, the SGA has enough money allotted to fund this project. The security of students on campus is a priority to the student government and the administration at Tech."
"For a young woman on a college campus walking to and from at night by herself, the escort services really gave you some sense of safety," Henderson, a senior psychology major, said.
"You can't take that away and tell a girl to figure out a new way."
Henderson said she has used the nightly escort service since she began at Tech and has always felt the carts have protected many students from potential campus crimes.
"Some nights there's a real reason to fear the campus," Henderson said.
"You don't know everyone on campus, and you definitely don't know if everyone on campus is a student."
Contrary to popular rumors, however, Tech Police never cancelled the operation completely and, in trying to both maintain campus safety and work within the restraints of budget cuts, Tech Police Chief Randal Hermes said they maintained student walkers after midnight to escort students requesting the service.
"Due to budget issues, the schedule for the operation of the cart escorts was amended," Hermes said.
"The time was changed from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. to 6 p.m. to midnight. So, in effect, even with the cart schedule amended, escorts have always continued."
Hermes also said Tech Police recently placed a golf cart escort in the new Park Place apartments to escort students until 2 a.m.
Arun Bhandari, a junior basic developmental studies major, said he appreciates the escort service and understands why it would have extra importance to female students on campus.
"I may use it to avoid walking to my dorm or to the [Maxie Lambright] Intramural Center, but it's probably most important to girls who are walking by themselves at night and could be seen as a prime target to predators," Bhandari said.
"Any protection at all is a plus. I think the carts do that."
Justin Beasley, sophomore class president and an economics major, said the Student Government Association has had a key role in keeping the escort service available to students and will continue to fund the important service.
"SGA values this service and it will become increasingly important since we are becoming a walking campus," Beasley said.
"Our campus is expanding every year and despite budget cuts, the SGA has enough money allotted to fund this project. The security of students on campus is a priority to the student government and the administration at Tech."
Be the first to comment on this story