Safety not an issue for students on campus
Office of Public Safety provides full service to campus community, including own forensic unit
Posted on April 26, 2007
The Virginia Tech shooting last week left many students wondering how safe their school actually is. Despite the seriousness of the incident, many still feel safe.
“It was a freak incident,” senior Sarah Gyselings said. “JMU is a safe school.”
In an effort to stay safe, the office of public safety at JMU provides full-service police protection to the campus community. Of the 30 sworn and commissioned police officers, 23 are full-time and 7 part-time. Out of the 30, 24 are in uniform and patrol the campus and residence hall areas 24 hours a day, seven days a week. Six normally plain clothes officers include the chief of police, investigators, technical support, primary crime prevention or administrative personnel.
These officers enjoy the same responsibilities and training as required by any police officer in Virginia. Their jurisdiction includes all university owned, leased or controlled property, the adjacent streets and sidewalks and expanded off-campus jurisdiction within designated neighboring areas of the city of Harrisonburg. They also have the authority to enforce all regulations and laws, both of the university and of Virginia.
JMU also has its own forensic unit, designed to support the actions of the criminal investigation and patrol divisions of the university’s police department. This group consists of a high technology and evidence gathering response team that primarily engages in forensic identification, investigation and recovery of physical evidence and are equipped to respond to any incident or accident.
In addition to the forensic unit, JMU hosts a campus police cadet program of carefully screened students employed by the JMU Police. Cadets are on duty from 7 p.m. until 12 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday, 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday and 8.p.m. until 3 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays. At these times they patrol their assigned areas and provide escort services to students walking across campus. They are also responsible for patrolling and securing academic and administrative buildings on campus each evening.
Junior Kirsten McGlone said she feels safe at JMU since the Virginia Tech shootings, partly due to this program.
“JMU immediately responded [to the Virginia Tech shootings] with JMU police and campus cadets,” she said.
Freshman Kahla Wilson said she has never felt in danger while on campus due to the emergency blue light phones placed throughout the university.
“I think (Virginia Tech) was an isolated incident,” she said. “I don’t think it would just happen on any campus.”
In addition to the 120 outdoor emergency blue light phones located across campus and at the main entrance of each residence hall, JMU also provides students with an emergency number, 568-6911, that directly connects any campus phone with the university police department. This number, to be used when fire, police or medical response is required, is listed in the university phone directory and attached to all residence hall student phones.
Residence halls are also protected at JMU. While the university does not provide supervision for unaffiliated off-campus housing, it does provide supervision for the leased Denton Apartments located between Court Square and North Liberty Street, as well as Rockingham Hall.
Access to on-campus housing by university employees is on an as needed basis, and everyone wishing to enter a residence hall must scan their card before entering. In addition, all university repair and maintenance personnel must be in uniform or wear a JMU photo ID to allow for easy identification.
McGlone said the residence hall security has helped her to feel safe.
“The fact that residence halls are always locked is a big factor,” she said.