In the wake of a shooting Thursday at Northern Illinois University that left five students and the gunman dead, UH students are voicing concerns about campus safety.
"It is likely to happen anywhere," education junior Teal Jackson said.
Business sophomore Sara Arabi said she wasn’t sure what the UH Police Department could do to keep the campus safe during emergency situations.
"We should have more security on campus, so I’m not sure we would have the resources needed to deal with (an emergency)," Arabi said.
Although a crime-free university is not realistic, steps by students, faculty, staff and UH police officers can help make UH as safe as possible, UH Police Chief Malcolm Davis said.
UHPD has trained officers in the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training program who can deal with a shooter situation if one occurs.
The ALERRT program, which began in 2002, has trained the more seasoned UHPD officers to assess and take action during a shooter situation, The Daily Cougar reported in August.
The UHPD site also includes an Active Shooter response checklist that can be viewed on the UHPD Web site, which includes instructions on securing one’s immediate area, contacting authorities and reporting necessary information to the authorities.
The UHPD Web site also recommends locking doors, turning off lights and staying quiet. Other tips include having someone call 911, and report specific locations, number and type of injuries and give a description of any assailants, including race, gender and description of weapons used.
Davis said all UHPD officers have received emergency response training for weather, traffic and shooting situations.
He is also encouraging the campus community to report suspicious behavior or anything that seems unusual.
"Maybe we can prevent something bad from happening," Davis said. "We get paychecks for this. You’re not bothering us."
UHPD handles more than 30,000 service calls every year from robberies to broken light bulbs and has an officer on dispatch 24 hours a day.
"(The UH community) has a much better idea of what’s going on (around campus) than we do just based on the numbers," Davis said.
This week, UHPD officials have also been passing out literature on campus urging students, faculty and staff to update their Public Information and Emergency Response system emergency contact information for any necessary communications.
Besides extreme emergencies like shooter situations, the University can also inform students, faculty and staff about severe weather, fire and traffic through the PIER system.
The alerts are sent by phone, e-mail or text message but can only be sent to the individuals who have registered their personal information through PeopleSoft 8.9, Davis said.
Communication with the police is vital to keeping UH safe, Davis said.
There are more than 40,000 members of the UH community and only 100 public safety officials, all of which are trained for a variety of emergency situations, including an active shooter, Davis said.
An approved alarm notification system might be installed by the end of the spring semester, Davis said. The system will employ three towers equipped with sirens that can be heard all across campus and outlying areas, Davis said.
University locations are also under surveillance through 423 mounted cameras, each recording activity 30 days at a time, Davis said.
"I think campus security is very good. Could it be better? Of course it could. The idea is making whatever we’re doing better," Davis said.
The annual ‘Walk in the Dark’ in conjunction with the Student Government Association Senate is another way UH students, faculty and staff can provide input on how to better protect the University, Davis said. The event is every fall and focuses on the safety concerns of the UH community.
The PIER system can be accessed through PeopleSoft or by visiting http://piersystem.com/go/doc/1093.
For more information, call (713) 743-3333.
Additional reporting by Mike Damante
