Purdue offers patrol service to community

By Jenny Jones
Staff Writer

If someone calls 494-SAFE, an escort from the Purdue Student Patrol will arrive on the scene to walk that person to his or her destination.

There are escorts — who travel in groups of two and three men, women or both — on campus all the time, which means it should only take a few minutes for an escort to arrive on the scene, said Captain Ron Fosnaugh, captain of special services at the Purdue Police Department.

Recently Eric Sommer, a senior in the School of Management, called for an escort to walk him from Young Graduate House to Wetherill Laboratory of Chemistry.

"When I called they asked me my name, what I was wearing, where I was and where I wanted to go," said Sommer. "The escorts arrived five to 10 minutes after I called."

When the escorts see the person that they are to walk with, they will radio the dispatch to let them know that they have arrived on the scene.

Dispatch is radioed again when the assignment is complete, said Denise Longnecker, the supervisor of Purdue Student Patrol.

Escorts from the Purdue Student Patrol will escort people from one place to another on campus, in Chauncey Village and anywhere within a three to four block radius of campus.

Many people worry about who will show up to escort them, said Fosnaugh.

"They were pretty friendly; we mostly talked about school stuff," said Sommer. "It's a good idea to walk with someone, especially at night."

Fosnaugh said the student patrol is on campus to provide a safe environment for the Purdue community.

"The student patrol is not only for students; it can also be used by staff and visitors," said Fosnaugh.

Two years ago the patrol was greatly underused and understaffed, so the student government addressed the Purdue police about taking over the patrol.

Escorts were screened, interviewed and a background check was conducted, said Fosnaugh. They go through extensive, ongoing training.

Escorts are taught during training how to patrol, how to use radio procedures and how to say no.

"We are strictly professional," said Longnecker.

Not only do the escorts of the student patrol walk people from place to place, they are also on campus to check the lighting, patrol the garages and help out with special events, such as football games.

They are extra eyes for the Purdue police, said Fosnaugh.

"It's a good program," said Longnecker.

Although the patrol is now well staffed, it is still severely underused, said Longnecker.

"A lot of people feel safe, therefore they don't use it," said Fosnaugh. Laura Barton, a student patrol person and junior in the Schools of Engineering agrees. Many people think this is a safe campus, she said.

Although the student patrol will escort anyone on campus, people should not call if they are intoxicated, said Fosnaugh. "We have to do things within reason."

If someone was publicly intoxicated, and they called for an escort, student patrol would refuse to walk them and call the police, said Fosnaugh.

Even though the student patrol only operates Wednesday through Saturday, it will still do its best to keep people safe on the days it is not running.

"If someone called on Monday or Tuesday night we will get them there," said Fusnaugh. "There's nothing wrong with keeping yourself safe."

Purdue Student Patrol can be reached at 494-SAFE every week, from 8 p.m. to 12 a.m. Wednesday to Thursday and from 9 p.m. to 3 a.m. Friday to Saturday.

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