In recent news, St. Louis was named the No. 1 most violent and dangerous place in the country. With safety becoming a growing concern, STLCC-Meramec Campus Police are taking new measures to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff.
Shane Rice
– News Editor –
In recent news, St. Louis was named the No. 1 most violent and dangerous place in the country. With safety becoming a growing concern, STLCC-Meramec Campus Police are taking new measures to ensure the safety of students, faculty and staff.
According to Meramec Police Chief Paul Banta, a new public address system is being placed on campus. “One of the things holding us back from installation being done immediately is Federal Communications Commission approval and training.”
Banta said the system will be wireless and run on radio waves. The new P.A. will be used to alert students, faculty and staff of storms, intruders and a list of other emergencies that have yet been determined.
Interim President Zerrie Campbell said that even though Meramec is considered a safe school, it’s always good to be more prepared. “The system should stop people in their tracks when they hear it. It is only for emergencies and will not and should not be used for general announcements.”
The PA system is just one item the campus is having placed. In addition, Meramec is looking into installing newer and brighter bulbs throughout the parking lots and inner grounds.
“This may be down the road a bit but by adding more lighting would add better safety measures for the campus,” Campbell said.
Banta said he would like to see deadbolts placed on classroom doors to help prevent theft and potentially invasive behavior.
“Through training with different organizations and agencies, one thing that we learn or hear the most about is teachers being injured while trying to hold a door closed while a disruptive and/or violent student tries to enter and cause harm,” Banta said.
Both Banta and Campbell said these are just safety measures and are not meant to intimidate students or anyone else on campus.
Campbell said, “Eventually it would be nice to see some blue boxes placed near some of the more gathered areas.”
According to Banta, this idea is something he will be looking into for the upcoming budget projections.
“We have nine sets of eyes throughout the campus; meaning three officers for each shift,” Banta said.
“Even though we have placed cameras and more foot patrol, we still need our students to keep their eyes open for suspicious behavior and report it to any of our officers.”
In addition, Banta said he feels the education of the Meramec students is just as important as the safety.
“We are here to not only assist students but to make sure they are secure and safe throughout their stay at Meramec,” Banta said.
