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In response to a recent increase in mugging incidents around campus, the Department of Public Safety is encouraging students to minimize walking alone, late at night, or at all.
“We’ve noticed a distinct correlation between students walking alone in the dark and personal theft,” said Mark Porter, chief of police and director of public safety. “We’re finding that the ideal way to prevent such events is for students to avoid walking outright. We don’t intend to scare students, but it’s seriously clear that staying completely inside at all times is the best, if not the only way to fight the crime epidemic we are facing.”
Added Porter, “Comply.”
According to DPS statistics, virtually all recent muggings on campus occurred outdoors, with the victim walking or at least being mobile in some way. Likewise, the University has seen notably few instances of inactive, sedentary students being approached and robbed. While streets are well-recognized locations of crimes, violence, and unsafe conditions, dorms provide ample protection, assuming students never, ever leave or even step foot outside.
Students praised the proactive advice being given by DPS. “Thanks to DPS efforts, I’ve been able to keep safe and sound during this recent crime wave,” commented Ben Owens ‘17. “All I had to do was stay in my dorm for the last six months.”
School authorities have high hopes that the initiative will be successful in decreasing campus robberies, similar to last year’s effective campaign to fight nighttime dorm room theft by discouraging sleeping. “Student safety is always our number one priority,” commented Porter. “We wholeheartedly believe that never leaving or going anywhere or doing anything outside will ensure that Brown is the campus we all want it to be.”
