Pedestrian sign | Photo by Christian Peters | The Wright State Guardian
Wright State University’s Department of Public Safety (WSUPD) is preparing to launch a new safety program with students at the forefront.
The new program aims to bridge the divide between the department and students by enlisting students to help keep the campus safe. These students, known as Student Safety Advocates (SSAs), will work with the police department to aid and assist their fellow students. Several students have also been hired to work as parking attendants through the program.
Programs in the past
This isn’t the first time that WSU has had a program of this nature.
“We had a student patrol program years and years ago, and that program was abolished because of funding,” Lieutenant David Cox, second-in-command at the police department, said. “We sat down and we did some brainstorming. How could we bring our students into the fold and have better interactions [with our students]?”
Ultimately, the decision was made to bring back the student patrol program, except this time new-and-improved and more focused on student involvement. Part of the money to implement the new program came from the Student First Fund, which awards grants to students and student-focused initiatives on or around campus.
How to spot an SSA
SSAs will be easily recognizable around campus, each wearing a uniform and walkie-talkie that feeds back to police dispatch. And although the program is not entirely up on its feet just yet, student members have already been helping out on campus.
“We have them working at events like basketball games… back in December we had our student safety advocates as well as our student parking attendants helping out at the Tran-Siberian Orchestra concert,” Cox explained.
Student benefits of the program
“This program does teach leadership skills, it will also teach them customer service skills, so they’ll be able to get real-world experience in addition to their education… especially in any kind of law enforcement or first responder career,” Ben Lootens, the department’s student supervisor, said.
Students interested in applying for the program are encouraged to do so through Handshake, or by emailing Lootens directly.
Opinions
WSUPD is excited about this new program.
“The officers that I’ve spoken with, after working with the student safety advocates and parking attendants, they absolutely love it,” Lieutenant Cox explained. “We’re a very community-oriented department. We like working with our students and having our students in the department… It’s a good feeling.”
Chase Weyrauch, a Freshman on campus, is also excited about the program.
“I believe it will be an improvement. More representation [in the department] will be good,” Weyrauch said.
