October brought a slew of suspicious activity to neighborhoods near Boise State’s campus. The Arbiter reached out to the Department of Public Safety (DPS) at Boise State for advice on how residents and commuters can stay safe on campus.
Students living on campus
Tana Monroe, associated vice president of the DPS offered comprehensive advice to students on how they could stay safe. Here are the tips she wants students to know.
Lock your doors and windows. When walking, stay aware of your surroundings. Avoid using your phone excessively and stick to well-lit paths. Boise State’s website has a night map that displays the well lit paths on campus.
Monroe advised using the Rave Guardian app. The app allows users to share their location with trusted friends or DPS. It also allows direct communication with DPS, anonymous tip submission and other emergency resources.
Boise State’s campus is dotted with blue light emergency phones, and Monroe advised becoming familiar with this resource and campus safety protocols like “run, hide, fight” for active threats.
If students witness suspicious activity, Monroe said students shouldn’t hesitate to report it. They can do so using the Rave Guardian app, calling DPS or filling out the silent witness form.
Ary Carpenter is a freshman from Washington. Carpenter, who lives on campus, said she was initially apprehensive about attending BSU for safety reasons.
“Looking at colleges, I was going to go to [Grand Canyon University] because they have a fenced-in campus,” Carpenter said.
Carpenter noted the University of Idaho murders in 2022 as the driving reason for her apprehension.
“But living on campus here, they do have a lot of areas where they have the [blue light phones] which is nice. But I have walked on the Greenbelt and seen sketchy people. I always carry [pepper spray] and I try not to walk alone,” Carpenter said.
Commuter Students
Commuter students should follow many of the same safety tips as students living on campus, with a few additional considerations.
Monroe advised parking in well-lit areas and keeping a buddy system for late-night commutes, a function the Rave app has, similar to Life360. Monroe said staying alert while walking to and from your vehicle and avoiding distractions like your phone. When parking, Monroe said locking your car and hiding valuables can help prevent theft.
Emmy Johnston, a freshman who lives on-campus, said she heard of the suspicious activity occurring on campus.
“It’s definitely scary, and kind of makes me uncomfortable,” Johnston said. “It might not be safe to walk on campus where it should be safe.”
Johnston said that she takes a variety of precautions like never going out alone at night and avoiding night classes on her schedule so she can avoid walking around campus at night.
The Boise State DPS said students should take advantage of the security escort service they offer, which can be requested through Rave Guardian or by calling DPS. The escort will walk with students from one location to another to ensure their safety.
DPS suggested that if a student ever gets a gut feeling that makes them uncomfortable, they should seek safety immediately and not take risks.
