Panhel voices security concerns

Concerned sorority sisters met with a Public Safety official Wednesday night to discuss safety issues in off-campus areas where sorority houses are located. The women expressed worries about the effectiveness of security kiosks, on- and off-campus lighting and blue-light emergency phones. "We want to see specific action taken," said Panhellenic Council President Lissette Calderon, a Wharton senior. "We know there needs to be time invested in evaluating the situation, but we want to make sure they take the next step to implement the necessary improvements." The meeting followed a safety tour conducted by University Police Monday night in which Panhel members were educated about various off-campus safety problems. About 50 Panhel members attended the meeting. Members interrupted Public Safety Security Services Director Chris Algard's presentation on safety issues at several points to ask what immediate actions could be taken -- distractions which he took in stride. "In a sense I appreciate their feelings," he said after the meeting. "You cannot only be safe, you have to feel safe." One of the most pointed questions from the audience concerned the security kiosks, which the Panhel member noted were only manned during the day, but not at night when the need would seem to be more urgent. "The security kiosks are a combination of information and security watch," Algard said in an interview after the meeting. "But for visibility we find it more effective to be out on patrol." He added that at night, visibility is much better outside the booths, with guards walking sentry-like paths along areas of pedestrian traffic. The guards primarily use the kiosks during breaks, to fill out reports or for shelter in inclement weather. "It was never intended to be a place to sit for eight hours," he said. Algard said that in the daytime, security is only a small part of the guards' presence. "During the day, it is more of an information booth," he explained, adding that that task is being performed well. Yet Calderon said she detected a distinct cynicism towards the kiosks in her meetings with Algard and Public Safety Managing Director Thomas Seamon. "It seems that he and Seamon are new to the system and may not see the kiosks as the most efficient use of resources," she said. Algard also addressed the issues of lighting and blue-light phones. "Lighting is not the exact issue," Algard said. "My message is not that we need more light, we need better practice." He explained the differences between more light and better light, emphasizing the effects of factors like light color, glare and night blindness. Algard also criticized the blue-light phone system and student demands that more be set up. He said the phones are spread out across campus in a random fashion and were susceptible to unreported damage. He added that every six-month testing of the phones reports that an average of five do not work properly. "That scares me," Algard said. Algard said that in dealing with security problems, it is important to examine the issues carefully and to formulate a plan. "We have to prioritize to get things done," he said. "We have to ask what are the right answers and what are the right ways to spend money on them." Besides Algard, Penn Watch Vice President for External Affairs Eric Tienou, a College senior, also addressed the group, with the hope of sharing information and attracting potential recruits.

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