Instead of the campus escort service, students in need of late-night safety in Athens will now be assisted by a new Ohio University Police Department program: the Safe Arrival For Everyone-Tonight Patrol Team.
The free service, which began the first week of Fall Quarter, is available from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. every night. Student employees in constant radio contact with OUPD have been trained as walking escorts to provide safe alternatives to crossing campus alone.
We went back to what the escort service started years ago
which was to provide safe travel from points on campus here said OUPD Chief Tony Camechis.
According to the OUPD Web site, teams can be recognized by their logo shirts and jackets. Students can schedule an escort in advance, as well as call the team or ask for assistance if an escort is seen on campus.
The SAFE-T Patrol Team took the place of the previous campus escort service because Athens is primarily a residential area with travel between on-campus buildings. The necessity of the escort service was reevaluated, which led to a return to walking escorts, Camechis said.
To accommodate as many calls as possible, six male and six female students are employed by the team, with the possibility of a future increase in staff. The service is not restricted to the official OU grounds, however. Escorts can provide company to or from surrounding areas in close proximity to campus.
It's a presence out there on campus that is very visible and hopefully we'll make the residents feel more secure in their surroundings
Camechis said.
For SAFE-T team assistance, students can call 593-4040. Additional information is available at the OUPD office and Web site, www.ohiou.edu/police.
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Matt Burns
