Community Walks program going well

University Police Commissioner John Kuprevich praises the Community Walks program, reporting that there has been a marked decrease in the number of on-campus incidents reported since its implementation in May. "What we are finding right now is that we are showing a better than 30 percent reduction in the number of incidents during the time period that we have the Community Walks staff, compared to the same time period last year," Kuprevich said. And Maureen Rush, director of victim support and special services, said the new kiosk system and the improved walking escort program have increased the visible signs of security on the walks. But there are some members of the University community who are apprehensive about the new safety initiatives. The Community Walks program is part of the University's new master security plan, which was unveiled by University President Judith Rodin in February. According to this plan, Community Walks will run through the center of campus and along other heavily travelled off-campus routes. Five kiosks and 15 new blue-light phones are placed at strategic points along these walks. The kiosks will serve as the primary base of operation for security officers patrolling along the walks. In addition, the Allied Security guards will be responsible for walking around their designated areas. Emergency telephones are installed outside the kiosks to ensure safety at times when the officers are not stationed inside them. Since May, three of the five kiosks have been staffed between the hours of 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. -- the ones at 40th and Locust, 37th and Locust and 33rd and Smith streets. And all five kiosks are staffed from 5 p.m. to 3 a.m. And Kuprevich said the Allied guards have been "very good in providing information to the police department in terms of reporting suspicious activity." "So we think that that piece of it is a very good indication of the success of the program so far," he said. Kuprevich said his department, along with the Department of Facilities Planning, have identified the designated locations of the new blue-light phones. "The phones are here, but we just want to make sure that we put them up in the most cost-effective, but effective, way," he added. He said the goal is to increase the level of evening and nighttime visibility, adding that some of the fixtures currently being used may be changed in order to increase visibility on the walkways. While officials maintain that these walks are for everyone in the surrounding community -- not just University students -- College junior Sylvie Volel feels that the program is actually isolating the campus from the community, instead of enhancing the relationship. "They are making the campus into a fortress," she said. Rush said the advantage of the Community Walks program is that "we are going to have an optimal number of people congregating on Locust Walk." "The key concept is to get as many people walking on campus as possible," she said. "And that is why we beefed up the Walking Escort program." She added that Walking Escort runs from 6 p.m. to 3 a.m. seven days a week. The increased visibility is an advantage because "people feel safer when they see an officer walking by them," Rush said. Kuprevich said he "absolutely expects" the Community Walks program to be running smoothly by the fall.

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