ASU SAFETY
By Cristy Mishkula, The Blaze
November 1, 2003

Student safety on campus should be a concern at ASU. Cristy Mishkula has the story.

      With theft being a major concern on ASU’s campus, many students do not realize there are other crimes happening at ASU. Since ASU is such a large university, a student may not always recognize a person who does not belong there who may have harmful intentions. ASU student Dana Volsky tells her story about how she did not know she was being followed to her car one afternoon.

      "I was walking to my car after class, and I got into my car and unlocked all of the doors. I had my front door open because it was hot in the car. I turned around, and there was a man sitting in my car. I started screaming at the top of my lungs, and he got out and ran. It seemed he was coming in to attack me. I’m not sure. Maybe he wanted to rob me. I had no idea what his intentions were, but nothing happened, thank God."

      ASU crime prevention specialist John Sutton explains there are ways students can protect themselves on campus if they think they are in a potentially dangerous or harmful situation.

      "At night we have a safety escort service that we recommend everyone take advantage of. That way they can call the number. There is a book Stewart is going to give you, and if they wait at a location, they will get a ride in a cart.

      "If no cart is available, they will send someone else out. These people that are a part of that have passed a police background check, a minimal background check so you know that you are getting a person who is going to be there primarily for the purpose of providing a safety for you. We’ve got a few tips that I am aware of, but we always recommend that people have some kind of friend that knows where they are at all times and when they are going to be at certain places, so that if they do not show up, they can alert other people to go out and look for them."

      Sutton says most students do not pay attention and are not aware of what is going on around them, which can make them a potential target to an attacker. To reduce all crimes at ASU, students need to work together and report any crime they witness on campus. For more information on ASU campus safety or to report a crime, the main campus police department is located at 735 East Lemon in Tempe.

      —Cristy Mishkula, The Blaze, 1260 AM