By Shawna Paul
Play rehearsal at McKay got out at 12:30 a.m., and her car was parked at the Recreation Center’s parking lot. Fearing the long dark walk, Angela Szymick utilized campus police’s security escort service.
Students are encouraged to use personal escorts provided by campus police’s student security officers, to get from any point on campus and the immediate neighborhood from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m. Fitchburg State Police officers provide the escorts during all other times.
“I called the number and they sent somebody.” Szymick said. Although she generally feels safe on campus, Szymick said, “Walking down there is creepy.”
Many students use the free service; 10 safety escorts were provided during the first five days of February alone, according to the campus police log.
According to Szymick, four to five minutes after she placed the call to Campus Police, she was greeted by a friendly security officer and a warm ride to her vehicle. Szymick thought it might be intimidating to ride with an officer but it was not. “It was a really good experience,” she said. Szymick was also relieved that she was not issued a parking ticket for being in the lot after midnight. “They even waited to see if the car started …. I would absolutely use it [safety escort] again.”
Safety escorts can be requested anytime by using one of the emergency call boxes on campus or by calling Campus Police at 665-3111.