SAN ANGELO, Texas — In six weeks, the sun will set almost two hours earlier in San Angelo.
Angelo State University Police Department Lt. Marcus West said around this time of year, departments on college campuses increase their presence even more.
Recently, no major incidents such as break-ins or kidnappings have been reported on campus, according to the ASU PD. But with the sun setting earlier and the night approaching sooner, West says keeping students informed about all their options if they feel unsafe is the best thing to do.
“The most important thing is making sure the students are educated and making sure they’re aware of all the resources made for them to be safe on campus. We can’t be there for everybody on campus 24/7 so utilizing every option necessary is a must,” West said.
More officers are out scanning the ASU campus and the department is offering a service in which students can simply call the campus PD and ask to be escorted wherever they need to go on campus.
ASU has a handful of different options for students who are in a dangerous situation on campus.
One is the Kinetic Global Personal Safety app. It is a personal safety mobile application for iPhone and Android meant to initiate immediate emergency response from law enforcement. Angelo State was one of the first universities in the country to offer this phone app to its campus community.
Another safety precaution in place at ASU are the blue emergency posts spread out strategically on campus. If students are in need of help from police, they simply press the red button at the post and law enforcement will arrive as soon as possible.
“Since I’ve been on campus I have never felt unsafe. The campus has the blue posts, signs with emergency numbers, and a bunch of other resources available for me if I ever feel unsafe. That makes me feel secure as a student,” ASU freshman Andrea Torres said.
For more information on who to call when you feel unsafe on campus, visit angelo.edu/administrative-support/university-police/.