Spring means campus safety an issue

Spring quarter is a time when the UW emphasizes safety.

Although the UW makes a major effort to keep things safe throughout the year, spring quarter generally has the highest number of reported incidents, according to Emmit Stall, a UW Police Department (UWPD) assistant chief.

"It's something about this time of the year that just brings everybody out, and that means everybody. The safety of the UW community is our number-one priority ... but students should use caution, especially after dark," he said.

Three UWPD officers patrol the University at all hours of the day, as well as a number of other officers who make specific rounds to the residence halls and other large campus buildings.

Besides the UWPD, the UW provides a number of on-campus security options, such UWCares and Night Ride, which provide escorts and bus rides after dark.

During spring quarter, both services run nightly Sunday through Thursday until 12:30 a.m. Neither service runs Friday, Saturday or during finals week.

The lack of weekend hours raises some concern with some UW students who stay late on campus.

"I'm always studying in the library until late, and although I don't live too far away, I never feel comfortable walking back by myself," said Louise Lui, a sophomore living in the U-District.

Lui, who makes a habit of staying late at Odegaard, feels Night Ride does not always run late enough.

Anne Eskridge, a manager in the UW Transportation Office, explained that with a limited budget, there is no way to offer these services at all hours of all days.

"Essentially, in order to accommodate the majority of students who stay on campus after dark, we have prioritized the times in which UWCares and Night Ride can run," said Eskridge.

There are many safety measures provided on campus students may not know about. The code-blue phones, which most people would recognize as the nine-foot posts with a constant blue light, labeled "Emergency," hardly get used, said UWPD Officer Brent Johnson. He explained that a low use of the blue lights implies a relatively safe campus.

There are also red emergency lights posted around the north campus dorms -- Haggett and McMahon -- and yellow emergency phones at the entrance to the Central Plaza garage. Additionally, there are emergency phones outside Padelford, and a number of other emergency phones and lights on south campus.

The UW has also started to implement a new addition to campus safety. Pay phones are now being installed at all bus stops on campus to increase security.

According to the UWPD, the UW is a fairly safe place to be considering the campus community exceeds 36,000 students and 22,000 faculty and staff. However, the campus is subject to many of the same difficulties faced in the greater urban community.

"It is especially important to be cautious after dark, and to make good use of the security options all over campus," said Stall.