William H. Kelly III
Editor-in-Chief
With the increase in crime and violence around the City of Jackson, students at Jackson State University are encouraged to take proactive safety measures.
Although some may feel that that crimes like robbery, auto burglary, and other incidents are beyond their control, Crime Prevention Officer Damarious Cotton states that there are ways to decrease the probability of becoming a victim.
According to Cotton, there have been recent off campus robberies involving JSU students who walk off campus after hours.
“Do not walk off campus at night, that is what has been happening. They have been walking off campus late at night, the latest incident was at 3 a.m. in the morning. The student walked off campus and got in a car with someone they did not know because the person told them it was unsafe to walk around on Prentiss Street,” said Cotton.
He added: “(The student was) walking to Shorty’s (Shorty Food Mart), they say. They got in the vehicle and the car turned down on Central Avenue, I believe, and held them at gun point.”
Through a collaboration with the City of Jackson, the Jackson Police Department (JPD) is active on the campus this academic year, and located in places such as the University Pointe Residence Complex.
“They (JPD) are working for E and H Holding Security Company, which allows certified police officers to work for their company. We thought that it would be better money spent to have certified police officers on campus other than security officers who had limited training,” said Cotton.
He added that JPD is working off-duty but are allowed to use their vehicles and uniforms as well as make arrests when necessary.
Alivia Swenson, a junior social work major from Fairfield, Calif., feels that students need to be more independent.
“I think my biggest concern is that people are not taking the initiative to become more safe on their own. They’re relying on campus security instead of taking precautions themselves,” said Swenson.
Marquis Robinson, a senior criminal justice major from Chicago, Ill., believes that more students should become unified in times such as these.
“We have a lot of students that are afraid to walk to their cars at night and it shouldn’t be like that. Every student at Jackson State University should feel as though they are in a safe environment at all times,” said Robinson. “I’m not pressing down on campus security or anything but like I said, I am a criminal justice major, I totally get it, they are not perfect and everyone is going to make mistakes but how can they help us if the student body is not coming together as one to state the problems?”
According to Cotton, JSU is currently in the process of offering active shooter training for students on campus. Faculty and staff members completed the training during the 2015-2016 school term.
The JSU Recreational Complex and Center for Student Engagement and Leadership will also be co-hosting a self defense seminar on Wednesday, Sept. 21 in the JSU RecPlex, Studio D, from 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
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