by Greg MacDonald
Editorial Assistant
The Campus Safety Department and the Associated Student Federation (ASF) Forum has co-sponsored a Whistle Safety Program to increase the safety on campus.
The Whistle Safety Program has been implemented immediately with students being issued a silver metal whistle for their key rings.
Twelve dozen whistles were delivered last month and are currently being issued to students who want them.
“We are giving out about 10 a day,” said John Lentz, director of campus safety. “We gave some of them out at an RA meeting at Stu-Han.”
The whistles were originally scheduled for distribution at new student orientation, but the order was delinquent, forcing the program to be pushed back a month and a half. However, Lentz did say that the program will begin at new student orientation next year.
Despite the stall in the process, Lentz said that “everyone has been pretty positive” about the program and “people want them.”
According to Lentz, 100 whistles, of the 12 dozen in stock, have been handed out.
The program, intended for pedestrians and students who walk through campus at night, is used as a warning to people for suspected danger and to alert others, including the Campus Safety.
All students are recommended to carry the whistles, which are stamped with a ULV logo, and to use them only when a suspect is following them or committing a crime.
The way the program works is that once a whistle is blown, the person who heard the alert should contact Campus Safety immediately at ext. #6666 and give them his or her location and the location of the whistle being blown.
After contacting Campus Safety and if the person feels comfortable, he or she should, with a group of friends, go to the site of the incident and see if the person can still blow his or her whistle. If he or she is incapable, then the person at the scene should contact Campus Safety.
The misuse of the whistles is not acceptable by the Campus Safety Department because in the event of a real emergency, Campus Safety could be checking on a false alarm.
There is no cost for the whistles as, they are being given out at the request of any student. Faculty and staff will also be supplied with whistles after the students’ requests are filled.
Each whistle comes complete with guidelines and further safety tips.
