As I joined the president of Georgia Tech one night last week in the back seat of a police officer’s vehicle, there was no overlooking his passion.
Now before you think that the two of us had found trouble around campus after attending a Yellow Jackets basketball game, I guess I’d better explain.
President G.P. “Bud” Peterson invited me to join him on a late-night “ride-along” with a Tech police officer. We met Crime Prevention Officer Jeff Hunnicutt after the game, and the three of us spent the next several hours on patrol on and around the urban campus.
(You can see pictures of us on patrol at Facebook.com/ajceditor.)
Earlier, Georgia Tech had conducted its third annual “Campus Safety Day.” Peterson wanted me to see in person what Tech does to provide a safe environment for its students, and he also used the occasion to say that he believes media coverage of late has created the impression that his campus is unsafe.
He strongly disputes that notion, and he believes that because of Tech’s aggressive approach to reporting and alerting students to incidents, many — including alumni and parents of students — might think that Tech’s campus presents more risk than other colleges.
We’ve reported a number of incidents over the past few months, including some robberies of students.
He cited a number of reports and statistics that show Tech’s campus is actually safer than others, pointing out that crime involving the Georgia Tech community seems to get reported more often, perhaps because of the school’s proximity to downtown Atlanta.
Peterson is on a mission to make sure his campus and surrounding area are safe, and that was obvious during our night, the fifth time he has joined an officer on patrol since arriving at Tech about two years ago.
Our night was quiet, as perhaps you’d expect for a chilly weekday. Peterson said weekends are the busy times, especially after fall football games.
Tech’s police force of 76 officers (Peterson just approved raising the number to 81), is responsible for the campus but also works in nearby areas.
Tech’s officers cooperate with the Atlanta Police Department. On this night, we observed one of their “checkpoints” in the nearby Home Park neighborhood. Officers from both jurisdictions routinely set up different checkpoints near campus, stopping cars to highlight the presence of police.
Peterson and Hunnicutt pointed out that a campus presents opportunity, and that they have some trouble with criminals who return after being caught.
Seventy-five percent of Tech students live in campus housing, but that still leaves some who live in nearby apartments.
Tech tracks crime in areas near campus, Peterson said, and reports it as part of its obligation to the federal government. Under the 1990 Clery Act, the U.S. Department of Education requires colleges to report crime and to alert students when incidents occur.
Peterson also points to several campus initiatives to improve safety:
● A system that allows students and staff to transform cellphones into a GPS-enabled alarm for free. About 3,000 have signed up so far. (Georgia Tech has about 21,000 students and about 6,000 employees, he said.)
● Something they call “Sky Cop,” a mobile system of cameras that police can set up around campus to keep an eye on key areas.
● The school also offers round-the-clock transportation for students, who can even call police officers for a ride.
As we drove around campus, though, Hunnicutt pointed out that students sometimes make themselves vulnerable. One man rode by on his bike without the required light. We saw a number of typical students, ear buds in place, walking alone, apparently oblivious to their surroundings.
Hunnicutt and another officer visited with studying students in a campus building. They handed out safety information, including cards highlighting the school’s “See Something, Say Something” campaign.
Of course, students greeted Peterson, several doing a double-take once they recognized the university president.
He talked to them about personal safety, asked them what their habits are, where they live and whether they feel safe.
Peterson told me of times he has shown up at fraternity houses in the wee hours, surprising students and urging them that it was time for the party to end.
He continues to push for more ways to improve campus safety and perception, including better lighting and cooperation with nearby business organizations.
After all, he lives on campus too. And while he has an occasional problem with students taking late-night swims in his pool (apparently a long-standing Tech tradition), he wants to live and work in a safe place.
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