Crisis on Kimball

Security implements new safety measures on campus

by Rania Kokkinis and Amy Van Duzer

Thursday September 29, 2005

Two robberies have occurred on Kimball within the span of two weeks, making students uneasy about walking on Kimball Avenue at certain times of day.

"I feel more hesitant, and don’t like to walk alone anymore,” said first-year Kaitlin Lore.

Some students, however, have experience more than just feelings of discomfort while walking along Kimball. First-year Ellen Lueck, recounted being robbed while other students were around.

"I was walking by Andrews on Kimball. Three guys asked if I had money, pulled a knife and took my back pack and my boyfriend’s wallet."

Due to the recent robberies, many other students avoid going to facilities and residences that are accessible via Kimball.

"I even stopped going to the gym at night because I would have to pass by Kimball," said first-year Hannah Cruz.

Senior Max Steele said that he now avoids walking on Kimball but that "all other years I would walk on that street all the time, night and day, with and without people."

Some students are unfazed by the robberies.

"Crime is hard to prevent," said first-year Kristina Grbic.

Junior Oliver Edwards commented that, "there is no real un-safeness on this campus."

Sophomore Josh Sadek said that he "doesn’t think about the robberies that much" and "doesn’t take a different route ever."

The college is doing the "best it can by the budget allotted by the school," said Ray Fitzpatrick, a dispatcher at Westlands desk.

"Since the incidents on Kimball Ave. the college has responded vigorously by hiring and placing extra officers in bright orange vests with college vans along Kimball Ave where it runs through our campus. With the extra officers and their high visibility, the chances of a reoccurrence of these kinds of incidents is greatly diminished," said Larry Hoffman, the Director of Public Safety and Security.

The SLC shuttles run from the Bronxville Metro North train station to anywhere on campus between 5:00 p.m. and 3:00 a.m. According to students, many of them are grateful for the shuttles and use them either due to their laziness or for safety precautions.

Students have expressed a need for a shuttle that will take them off campus to nearby places such as Stop N’ Shop in the Cross County Mall.

"The college feels very strongly that the primary responsibility for Public Safety and Security is to provide a safe and secure environment on our campus. To meet the student need to shop in the evening hours, the college currently provides a shuttle to the Bronxville Station which is very close to a grocery store," Hoffman said.

First-years Paige Lipari and Samantha Lust both agree that the college "is taking enough precautions" but that "we wouldn’t walk to the Mobil station after dusk- no doubt." These two students use the shuttle regularly and say that it is always available when they need it, either from Westlands to Hill House or from the Bronxville station to main campus.

First-year Abby Gold, however, has not had such a positive experience with the campus shuttle service.

"We were walking on Palmer in a pretty sketchy neighborhood. It was 10:30 at night, I was with two other girls, and we were lost. We called the shuttle to come pick us up, but they said we were off campus, and they couldn’t come get us," Gold said.

There is also student concern about the operational status of crime-prevention resources provided on campus. An example of this is two emergency call boxes along the sidewalk between the Campbell Sports Center and Hill that are taped off and not functioning.

"The college is in the process of adding these new phones to augment the existing system. The delay has been with the programming of the actual line. I have been told that these new phones should be operational within the next several days," Hoffman said.

Students have a variety of views on how to stay safe along Kimball.

"SLC students should be socially conscious. We are different but sometimes that attracts unwanted attention," Josh Sadek advised.

Steele recommended, "Don’t walk on the street with headphones or when talking on your cell phone."

"Don’t risk anything, you might be sorry," senior Anna Villonco warned.

"I would ask students not to walk on Kimball Ave. at night, but rather to use our college pathways, our on campus shuttle or our Bronxville Train Station Shuttle. If for some reason they must walk on Kimball, then they should walk together with other students. The larger the group, the better. Finally, I would ask our students not to go out shopping in the middle of the night. . We do not want to encourage this activity." Hoffman said.