Recent incidents of attempted abductions or assaults near the University of Arizona’s campus have rekindled safety discussions for those on campus.
The university has several resources when it comes to the safety of the Wildcat community that includes hundreds of blue light phones scattered across campus.
One junior at the school, Khalil Young, said he likes the “idea of the police push-call buttons,” but he feels “police response times are pretty slow.”
Young also said he doesnt see the practicality of blue light phones in a time when most people are carrying a smartphone in their pocket.
But he admits they do, at the very least, provide a sense of security across campus.
“When you press the blue lights, at least the police know your last general location to come to,” he said. “And so I feel like they do [help]. The campus is kind of dark sometimes, so those blue lights in certain areas do provide light.”
With more than 300 of them, each light is a direct line to UAPD dispatch. While it may bring a sense of safety for students like Young, he said his awareness is elevated when he travels off campus.
“I keep my music down low because I like to hear my surroundings, and I dont wear hoods because I want to see everything,” he said when asked how he goes about remaining safe.
Its that heightened sense of situational awareness UAPDs Chief of Police Chris Olson urged for everyone during a Wednesday afternoon press conference to address recent abduction or assault attempts near campus.
Olson said, “UAPD is enhancing its patrol capabilities to provide a higher level of visibility and engagement.”
Other safety nets for students and staff include its Safe Ride Bus Program. Additionally, students are encouraged to use apps like UAlert the universitys emergency messaging system and LiveSafe, an app that allows you to report suspicious activity.