CRIME ALERT UPDATE
Three months ago Her Campus CUA wrote a piece on the surge of crime in the Brookland area pertaining to certain campus security vulnerabilities and the lack of the DPS effort to ensure student safety. In light of the events that occurred last week with the alleged gunman on campus, it is imperative to revisit the issue of campus’ safety.
Overview of Events on December 8th and 9th:
On Tuesday December 9th around 1:00 AM members of the CUA community were informed to shelter in place, issued by email and a phone call, via the rave alert system. During the shelter in place the MPD and DPS responded to a possible armed suspect who interacted with a custodial worker near Pangborn Hall around 10:00 PM. The suspect was described as a tall Middle Eastern man, wearing a suit jacket, and armed with a silver handgun. At approximately 2:40 AM, students and faculty were informed that the shelter in place was lifted, and the campus was deemed safe.
At approximately 4:20 AM an email was sent from Catherine Lee explaining the incident and disclosed that the campus was secure. She explained that Leahy and Pangborn were evacuated and searched for explosives, of which none were found. Members of the community received another follow up email, around 10:30 AM, reminding people that the campus was “safe.”
The same day, around 8:00 PM CUA members were notified to shelter in place AGAIN, in response to another possibly armed subject. Two hours later the shelter in place was lifted, and was disclosed to be the result of an incorrect suspect identification.
Problems Facing CUA after Incident:
Throughout the course of events that unfolded in the span of less than 24 hours, a population of the students felt unsafe and alarmed. Students questioned if the campus was truly safe and wondered what CUA was doing to protect the wellbeing of its students.
The gunman incident reminded students of how exposed the campus is, due to the accessibility of the metro, the lack of a consistent visible and active DPS presence at night, and the openness of campus to outside threats.
Furthermore, the incidents made students realize the possibility of future threats. If something similar were to occur on campus, physically harming students, faculty, or staff, how would DPS, MPD, or CUA administration handle the situation? When the shelter in place was issued, students were dumbfounded. Security procedures such as sheltering in place are foreign to CUA students who responded with panic and fear not knowing the correct protocol to follow and if there was an actual gunman on campus. Following the events, the school responded by sending out vague emails with little to no useful information, also containing typos and misinformation.
Suggestions to Improve Campus Security:
- DPS & President Garvey should conduct a Town Hall meeting, where members of the CUA community can be directly addressed about what happened and what measures are being implemented now. There should also be a question and answer period, where students and staff can ask DPS and President Garvey specific questions that they have failed to answer.
- Emails should only be sent out if the information is confirmed, accurate, and true. We received numerous emails filled with contradictory and untrue information, which only led to greater frustration and mistrust in CUA.
- Updates should be issued during a shelter in place. Students were told to remain in place for over two hours without any additional information provided. This left students feeling helpless as they were forced to remain in place with no further information or direction.
- DPS or MPD should facilitate evacuations and such personnel should escort students to a safe location. On the second night of lockdowns, students were forced to evacuate the library but not directed or escorted off the premises. They were sent blindly in a time of unverified emergency into the cold and dark streets at night to find safety for themselves.
- All entrances of campus should have a DPS officer or special police officer stationed at night. On Monday December 8th, there was no special police officer stationed between the metro and campus. The metro is a vulnerability and provides an opportunity for danger to enter campus. Anyone can access CUA by the metro station, which gives passengers a direct point of entry onto campus. If there was a DPS or special police presence by the metro on December 8th, they could have noticed, stopped, and apprehended the armed suspect that threatened the custodial worker.
Her Campus CUA is alarmed that they have to report, yet again, on an issue already addressed months prior. We understand that any public space, including a college campus, can never be 100% safe into today’s world. Nonetheless, this should not translate into reactive and after the thought measures. It is the administration of CUA, DPS, and MPD’s responsibility to implement and practice proactive safety. Furthermore, students should be aware of such guidelines and practice them frequently such as a shelter in place or active shooter drill.
Her Campus CUA is grateful that no one was harmed during the incidents that occurred on December 8th and 9th. However, CUA’s response to the incidents with emails, texts, and phone calls does not ensure any student’s safety.
We are hopeful that the incidents raised red flags and that the administration and its security council are truly reassessing and creating additional practices to enhance campus safety.
Please share this article with your friends, family, and the greater CUA community. If we want change, it is our responsibility to use our voice and raise awareness. We cannot remain idle and wait for another incident to occur before we act.
No one should feel unsafe while receiving an education. Spread the word.