Editorial Staff Safety improvements to cost $400,000 from university’s reserve funds

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Still, the report came to the consensus that “the blue light phone system, while not frequently used as intended for emergencies, is a valuable part of the safety apparatus of the university.” The reason behind this conclusion was that the presence of the phones made those on campus feel safer, regardless of whether they were being used or not.

The report included perspectives from UMW’s Department of Police and Public Safety, faculty and students. UMW Police Chief Michael Hall said that the new upgrades, such as boring and trenching, as well as purchasing the poles for the blue lights and the security systems mounted on top, will take some time and may cause potential delays to the final installation date.

“Largely what I wanted out of this report was a collaborative effort from faculty, staff and students with the police leading it,” said University President Troy Paino. “The report itself is an assessment on where we are with the blue lights as we are now in a very different world than when we originally installed it. There was some concern about their functionality and their working condition and the question was asked, ‘Do we invest?’”

He added that the school will be moving forward with the repairs and modernization plans that were suggested. The cost will likely be upwards of $400,000, he said, and the project will be funded through a one-time investment from the university’s reserves.

The committee only met for one evening to examine the blue lights in a pre-plotted route and did not have a follow-up meeting afterwards.

According to a 2021 report in Campus Safety Magazine, a publication aimed toward those in charge of safety at schools, most colleges in the United States have blue light systems; even if they’re not used, many people still prefer to have them, believing they might act as a deterrent against crime.

Per the U.S. Department of Justice’s Survey of Campus Law Enforcement, which collected data from 1995, 2004-2005 and 2011-2012, 100% of private schools that instruct over 15,000 students have a blue light phone system as well as 92% of all university campuses.

In addition to updates on blue lights, Hall acknowledged that newer technology is required to maximize student safety. For instance, one modernized addition to the blue light system is a camera mounted on the top of the pole that allows UMW Police and Public Safety access to see the location in case of an emergency.

The report also says there have been technological advances in regard to student safety, such as apps available on any phone.

Hall urged students to download the Rave Guardian app, which is available on both Android and iPhone. The app lets users contact campus police and emergency services at any point, and it also provides features for its users that involve location-based tracking. For example, if someone walking across campus feels unsafe, they are able to begin a safety timer that allows other contacts to view their location for a given amount of time. The app can also disseminate important information through announcements, as well as giving the user the option to submit tips regarding domestic violence, bullying, disturbance, drugs and other situations of note.

“I encourage students very strongly to have it installed on their phone, as it’s essentially a blue light in their hand,” Hall said. “One button and you can have friends track you on it as well as a venue for important messages. If you’re in a situation where you cannot talk, you can text the dispatch center and it is a very valuable tool.”

However, while Hall has urged students to use the application for almost a decade, few have it on their phones, and many have never heard of it.

“I think the app itself would have good implications at party situations on a late night on the weekend,” said sophomore computer science major Jack Collier. “I would encourage them to continue developing a wider audience so that people in need will be able to access that feature on the app.

Personally, I haven’t heard of the app until today and relatively speaking, it sounds like a good idea for students to have.”

Faith Hattersley, a sophomore psychology major, agreed with Hall and Collier that the app could be useful based on the description, even though she didn’t have the app herself.

“Creating better accessibility to campus security through something online that’s easily connected to my phone is a great idea,” said Hattersley. “If the school would want to implement that in their security plan, they should not only advertise it but make sure campus security detail is comfortable quickly navigating the app and all its capabilities.”