I have not ever written a response to an article in the Statesman, even though I regularly read it. However after reading Alexandra Miller’s article, “RSP needs to pivot to providing safety to commuters,” I felt I had to respond. As a member of the Residential Safety Program for the past three years, I am well-versed in our policies and procedures as well as our function within the university at large.
Residential Safety Patrol (RSP) provides many students on campus with employment. However, considering its operations were created back in 1974, how effective and efficient can they be? A majority of the program's training consists of memorizing numerical codes and regurgitating archaic safety protocol methods. RSP should update their training manual and techniques to keep up with the current times and current safety issues. What particularly concerns me is that with such a large number of students working for the organization at such late hours, the organization does not take better measures to ensure their safety post-shift.
On September 13, Chief of Police Robert J. Lenahan sent out a campus update to the Stony Brook University community regarding the robbery that took place on the evening of September 1 and the attempted robbery that took place two days later. In the first incident, a student was approached by two to three males who threatened the victim and took his phone and U.S. currency. In the second related incident, three students were approached by two males who displayed an Airsoft pistol and demanded money.
As an incoming freshman, you may suddenly lose your way around campus. Then what do you do? Learning your way around Stony Brook University is one of the biggest challenges you will face. Fortunately, Stony Brook is serious about promoting safety throughout the campus community. There are many different services that every student can take advantage of to ensure personal safety.
