Around 3 a.m. yesterday morning, shots were fired near 40th and Locust streets in the aftermath of a carjacking. The Division of Public Safety notified the Penn community about what happened via e-mail roughly an hour later.
DPS deserves praise for promptly securing the area. We are grateful that the situation was dealt with quickly and that no students were hurt.
Because the situation was swiftly resolved, DPS was right to send only an e-mail and not also a text message, despite students’ complaints. Text alerts should only be transmitted when members of the Penn community are in danger, like if there were a situation similar to the Virginia Tech shootings. To send alerts in other situations cheapens the messages’ value when there is an immediate threat.
Still, DPS should have sent the e-mail sooner. Many students witnessed the events and heard the gunshots. In this digital age, students wanted information instantly. We understand that DPS wants to devote its resources to protecting students. But it should be able to keep people informed without compromising security or accuracy.
Not only does DPS need to keep people safe, but it also needs to make people feel safe. Its decision to add additional patrols to the area in the aftermath of the incident is important because it helps to create a sense of security. Likewise, sending the e-mail sooner would have alleviated concerns earlier.
