By Katie Land, news editor
With a full staff of uniformed officers, the Oakland University Police Department is prepared to help with anything from emergency situations and parking to escorting students to their cars at night.
“This is an extremely safe campus,” said Samuel Lucido, OUPD’s Chief of Police. “But in this day and age, the community has to remain vigilant as well. We all need to be observant and aware of our surroundings.”
An improved and updated blue light emergency phone system will debut this fall near the start of the semester. These on-campus phones, which dial directly to the emergency dispatch center, will also work as speakers to send live audio broadcasts on campus.
Increased communication and transparency regarding safety and security is a growing trend at colleges across the country, and Oakland is no exception, Lucido said.
OU has a comprehensive emergency preparedness Web site, as well as campus wide e-mail, voicemail and text message systems. Radio and TV stations are notified immediately in the case of an emergency and the OUPD dispatch can now be contacted and receive reports through text messages.
Students are encouraged to be alert and report any suspicious activity on campus. Guidelines include being aware of surroundings, using the buddy system, calling for an escort at night, staying in well-lit areas, keeping valuables at home and always keeping doors locked.
“I want to stress that our job is to provide a safe campus for faculty, staff and students,” Lucido said. “We ask that members of the community act as partners to keep Oakland University protected and secure.”
The most common crime on campus is larceny. Most incidents occur when cell phones and lap tops are left unattended. Nearly all of these situations can be avoided when students are attentive and take some personal responsibility, Lucido said.
The officers of the OUPD are ready to respond to any call and stress that students should not be afraid to ask for their services. Students can make a report anytime they feel something is wrong, and do not need to verify that an actual crime has occurred.
“The OUPD has a significant presence on campus,” Lucido said. “We are anxious to help in any way that we can. I would urge the community to call if they see anything suspicious or out of place.”
Cadets are available in non-emergency situations as well and can help jump cars, wait for rides and walk people back to their cars at night.
For at least the first two weeks of the new semester, the OUPD will provide hourly counts of parking availability to help students find spaces. Those interested should call the vice president’s office at (248) 370-2445 to be directed. Students and staff should plan ahead and allow extra time to find a parking space.
For more information, visit the
OUPD Web site and the emergency preparedness site at
www.oakland.edu/prepared. General safety tips can be found in the preventative measures section
here.
To reach the OUPD in the event of an emergency:
- Call 911 from any campus phone
- Call (248) 370-3333 from a cell phone
- Text the dispatch office at 911@oakland.edu
- E-mail the dispatch office at 911@oakland.edu
To sign up for emergency text message alerts, visit
https://www2.oakland.edu/secure/grizzid/oualert/.
