UK police chief talks safety during National Campus Safety Awareness Month

In 2008, National Campus Safety Awareness Month was approved by Congress to encourage public conversations in violence prevention on campuses.

LEXINGTON, Ky. (WTVQ) — Thousands of students are now back on college campuses in Kentucky. Every year, students become the targets of sexual assault, robbery, and stalking.

In 2008, National Campus Safety Awareness Month was approved by Congress to encourage public conversations in violence prevention on campuses.

“Just little things that you know that could keep you safe if something like that happens,” said Caroline Murphy.

Murphy is a senior at the University of Kentucky. She’s taken her fair share of night classes and admits, there are times when she’s felt vulnerable.

“There’s not as many people around. And it’s not that I’ve felt unsafe, but I am acutely aware of the fact that I am a woman and I am alone,” said Murphy.

That’s why she encourages all students to use safety precautions.

University of Kentucky Police Chief Joe Monroe says the university is in the midst of the largest freshman class they’ve ever had. With more students on campus, he encourages all students to stay vigilant. His department sometimes responds to sexual assault, rape, and robbery cases.

“As campus is coming back to a new normal, there’s even more excitement, more people on campus. So with that, we will probably respond to a sexual assault a couple of times during the fall semester,” said Monroe.

As a result,  the university offers a variety of tools to help keep students safe.  One of those is the Live Safe App.

“It’s an opportunity for a student to register for a free app. And that app covers them while they’re walking. So they can use that to get directions. They can also contact UK police that way. And it lets us kind of follow them while they’re walking,” said Chief Monroe.

There are also blue towers all over campus, and self-defense classes. And in the event of an emergency, there’s an alert system.

“And with that, it allows us to push text messages and phone calls to their cell phone or email accounts to give them that instant notification,” said Monroe.

Monroe says its important to keep in mind “if you see something, say something.”

“Don’t put yourself in a situation that something may happen, especially if you start getting that feeling that something may not be right with this. It’s probably a good gut reaction you need to get out there,” said Monroe.

Caroline Murphy says she and her friends use a buddy system during those late nights, which means they go in groups.
You can find more information about how the university protects students here.