Samhi C.

October 12, 2021 at 11:00 P.M., I interviewed Officer Scott Lukens of Abington Campus Police to ask for his insight on tips for Abington students to stay safe and to ask him what University Police & Public Safety (UPPS) can do to help. 

According to Officer Lukens, UPPS officers have the “same training as all municipal officers.” They had to attend the police academy just like all state police officers and are held to state standards. They are expected to have the minimum required firearms training, learn de-escalation tactics, attend crisis intervention specialist training, and go through monthly training with Police One Academy (which is online now after COVID). Campus police also carry tasers as well as firearms and are equipped to handle any emergency situation. 

Officer Lukens also alerts us that UPPS partners with the Abington Township Police and so, when needed, they will follow as back up. UPPS is available 24/7-365. Officer Lukens wishes for the Abington student population to know that UPPS is ready and prepared to help with a variety of incidents. He talks about how UPPS tries its best to be visible “by conducting vehicle, foot, and bike patrols on campus and around [Lions Gate], while also being easily accessible at the Rydal Building.” He and UPPS would like “the campus community to know that [they’re] there.”

On that note, here are some safety tips for Abington students from Officer Lukens:

***The Abington campus is on the safer side and not following these tips doesn’t mean students will be less safe. However, based on students’ own personal lifestyles, based on their own discretion, some of these tips might be something they’d like to keep in mind, even if they’re implemented somewhere away from Abington altogether.

• Be alert!
• Officer Lukens recommends changing the ways students get around town and other routines. Breaking routine not only deters others from taking advantage of getting too familiar with your movements, but also leads you to be more alert to surroundings, and as Officer Lukens says, “more aware of the people that are around you.”
• Lukens also speaks to how many students around campus often have both headphones in. His advice: “I’d recommend keeping at least one ear free.” This technique, again, would help students be more aware of their surroundings. We can more easily identify any sounds that mean danger, such alarms or calls for help. 
• And here’s a phrase we hear often: “See something, say something.” It’s an often-said phrase because it works! Officer Lukens says, “We can’t be everywhere. Students have the power to help themselves.” He believes it best for us to report any suspicious activity and anything else that may require UPPS intervention. It’s better if we make a report and it turns out to be misinformation than if we don’t do anything and something serious that could’ve been prevented does happen. We all are responsible for student and staff safety, not just UPPS. That being said, no one can be completely responsible for others’ behavior.  
• Lukens also recommends that students “preemptively think of scenarios.” Unlike in high school, we don’t have safety drills. Campus buildings don’t perform fire drills, active shooter drills, or intruder drills. And fingers crossed that these incidents don’t happen, but it’s important for us to think through these possibilities and decide the best plans of action. It doesn’t mean we have to be terrified that something may go wrong any minute, but rather just learn evacuation procedures and other important actions to be taken in case we land in trouble. 
• To that note, we should try our best to be aware of multiple escape routes from the locations we visit regularly. 
• UPPS sends out emergency alerts that students can sign up for. If we do, we’ll get SMS and email notifications about any potential threats on and around campus to keep us prepared. Alerts are not only about active shooters or human threats but also thunderstorms, tornados, and other natural disasters.
• Another tip that can increase student safety, according to Lukens, is to “Walk with a friend at night” or have someone on the phone. 
• Don’t hesitate to call for help. Call attention to the situation from anyone in the immediate vicinity so that someone can come help us.
• Lukens also says to “try and remember as much detail as you can.” If we do end up in any incidents, we should remember times, locations, and people involved to the best of our ability. Any significant dialogue is also helpful to remember. 
• Lukens also reminded me that “it’s wise to pull your blinds down at night to prevent unsolicited attention into your apartment where someone can view your movements or room layout.” 
• Now, here’s something we don’t hear often: always keep your phone nearby. It’s our “lifeline to dial 911” in case something goes wrong.
• Be aware that the emergency phones around campus can be a great help. If we go around campus, we’ll notice poles with a blue light on top and a yellow box that opens to a phone with usage instructions.
  
  

  Inside of a Call Box on Abington Campus

• Officer Lukens also advises, “UPPS is alerted to fire alarms at Lions Gate, however, for buildings located on campus, do not assume help is on the way.” We should “contact them directly as soon as [we] hear an alarm.”
• A final comment from Officer Lukens: “Residents of Lions Gate should not allow others to follow them into the building or ‘piggy back’ [unless they know for a fact that they are a resident]. Although it’s considered polite, do not assume the person walking behind you is authorized to enter and be cautious not to hold the door open for others.” If we do end up letting someone in that we don’t know, we don’t need to panic, but it might be a good idea to take a moment to ask if they’re a resident or see if any resident comes down to meet them and sign them in as a guest. For Lions Gate, there are also front desk assistants who we can alert to any person that we don’t recognize entering the building unsupervised. 

Thank you to Officer Lukens and the rest of UPPS for being there for us 24/7-365.