New safety initiatives underway

In response to recent discussions at the University of Delaware about crime reporting and safety, several expanded safety initiatives will take effect Wednesday, Oct. 27, on the Newark campus. The initiatives were announced by John Long, executive vice president and chief operating officer, who is responsible for UD operations including units in charge of campus and public safety and facilities, among others.

“The safety of our community is our top concern and we’ll be actively driving improvement of all available resources for our students to address that priority head on,” Long said. “Working closely with President Assanis and other campus leaders, we have established pilot ride share programs to improve transportation access and responsiveness for our students, particularly as they travel from central campus to their residences on and off campus during the evening. We will continue to evaluate these programs and look for additional measures to develop and implement.”​

The Escort Program run by the University of Delaware Police Department (UDPD) will be expanded with the addition of a golf-cart service that will transport students to on-campus locations, including academic buildings, laboratories, the library and residence halls, during evening hours. Available from 6 p.m.-1 a.m., seven days a week for the remainder of the fall semester, the service will be available to students who call 831-RIDE or use a new service option button on the LiveSafe app.

This initiative builds on UDPD’s popular walking escort service, which is available 24 hours a day/seven days a week.​

​Also, Transportation Services will offer a new shuttle service for students who are traveling from campus to their nearby off-campus residences. This service also will be available from 6 p.m.-1 a.m., seven days a week. The four pick-up points for this service will be the Morris Library, Perkins Student Center, Townsend Hall and the north end of the STAR Health Sciences Building on the STAR Campus, and requests can be made using the same 831-RIDE phone number or the LiveSafe app. Coverage area for the service can be seen on this map.​

In related action steps, the University is also evaluating all safety lighting throughout the Newark campus for potential additions and upgrades. In addition, the blue light phone system, which features illuminated phones located throughout the campus, is being reviewed, tested and, where necessary, upgraded. Anyone who picks up a blue light phone is immediately connected directly to the University Police dispatcher.

All members of the University of Delaware community are advised to download the LiveSafe App on their smartphones. The free app leverages the components of smartphone technology, such as GPS location, camera and text capabilities, to provide direct and seamless contact with the UD Police Department for a range of safety issues. Instructions on how to download the app, as well as information about other services and resources, are available on the UD Police website.​​

​ Article by UDaily staff

Published October 25, 2021​