Walking escort service created to increase student safety

The University Police Department has established a walking escort service on weekend nights for any Richmond students who feel unsafe walking across campus alone.

From 9 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursdays and from 10 p.m. to 2 a.m. Fridays and Saturdays, students and other campus community members may request a walking escort to accompany them to their destination, campus officer Paul Witten said.

Junior Allie Deering said, "There have been times where I have driven my car just to feel safe getting from one side of campus to the other by myself. I wouldn't need to drive if I had someone to walk with me."

If students feel unsafe, they are able to call campus police, and a Public Safety Auxiliary (PSA) team will be dispatched to their locations. The PSA team will then escort them to their destination.

All PSAs are Richmond students who have applied and been chosen by campus police, Witten said. He said these students were trained as escorts and had direct communication with campus police dispatchers and officers at all times.

The PSAs do not have the authority to arrest or refer students to the dean, Witten said. They just serve as extra "eyes and ears" for campus police, he said.

Since the program was started Jan. 25, the PSAs have received four escort requests. Witten said the University Police Department hoped that this service would be used and that it would increase safety on campus.

Campus police are currently hiring more PSAs for next semester, Witten said. He said they were hoping to receive even more applicants than they had last semester.

Contact reporter Olivia Simons at olivia.simons@richmond.edu