Aug. 27, 2002

UPD Announces “Safe Community Initiative”

GW Teams With Sprint to Begin Campus Watch Program

By Matthew Nehmer

The George Washington University Police Department (UPD) is teaming with Sprint to establish a “Campus Watch” program calling for student volunteers to help enhance the safety and security of the Foggy Bottom community. GW is the first local university to partner with Sprint for this initiative.

Campus Watch features a select group of students who will carry PCS phones pre-programmed to call the UPD dispatcher. The phones will enable students to report suspicious activity or breaches in security — i.e. unattended property, burned out light on campus, etc. — as they go about their day-to-day activities on campus. Sprint donated 40 direct-dial mobile phones for the program. The names of Campus Watch program volunteers will remain confidential.

“Students are all over this campus on a daily basis,” says UPD Director Dolores Stafford, “so training them about what to report and giving them the means to immediately report potential problems or concerns without taking up too much of their valuable time is a huge benefit to GW.”

The Campus Watch Program is an extension of Sprint’s “Phone Call for Safety Program.” Launched in July 2000, the Program features the donation of wireless phones and service to participating law enforcement organizations or school safety partners. By providing direct access to local officers or other safety contact, children and teens are able to privately report incidents or threats of drug abuse, harassment, physical abuse, theft, vandalism, etc.

“Wireless phones provide the instant access to police and emergency assistance that is critical to public safety,” says Brian McIntee, area vice president, Consumer Channel, for the PCS division of Sprint in the Washington, DC area. “Sprint is proud to partner with the GW University police to promote safety on the college campus.”

UPD will be on hand to answer questions about the Initiative and enlist student volunteers at two GW Student Involvement Fairs during the University’s Welcome Week: Sept. 3 from 5–7 pm at the Mount Vernon Campus Quad; and, Wednesday, Sept. 4, from 5–7 pm at Kogan Plaza (located on H Street between 21st and 22nd streets).

 

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