You might think that a college campus would be one of the safer places to rest your head. Walking to and from classes in broad daylight might be a simple, safe task, but think about if that one late-night class runs a few minutes over, or if that study session with a friend goes longer than expected. The long, dark walk back to your car in the dead of night can be a stressful experience, especially during the winter months when the moon creeps out quicker each evening. For a certain Vanderbilt student, this late-night stroll turned into something different entirely.
In the early hours of Nov. 3, a female senior of the university was held at gunpoint by an unknown criminal. The man demanded her purse and quickly fled the scene once the bag was procured. This scary incident occurred during the student’s walk back to her on-campus apartment.
The Lipscomb Security and Safety team works day and night to ensure that events like this don’t happen to Lipscomb students.
Brad Wyatt, the director of security on campus, made it clear that the incident on Vanderbilt’s campus was unfortunate, but he said he hopes Lipscomb students understand that events like this have never occurred on Lipscomb’s campus during his four years as director of security. In fact, a mugging of that nature has never occurred on campus. He said he hopes that Lipscomb understand that, while on Lipscomb’s campus, safety is a top priority for his team.
During the upcoming holiday season, Wyatt hopes that students will use common sense to stay safe – traveling in groups and staying in lit areas is always a good idea, he said. Lipscomb’s campus is protected 24/7 by 300 cameras placed throughout the school that are being constantly monitored by security staff members.
A new campus security dispatch center opened at the beginning of the semester. The station is located on the bottom floor of the library by the IT department and is always open to students if any problem arises. Other issues such as vehicle registration and ID replacements can be taken care of at this new center.
For those afraid to walk alone on campus during late nights, especially students parked in the Stokes lot, Wyatt encourages calling (615) 966-7600 to take part in the Safety Walk program. A Lipscomb security officer will be more than happy to walk with you, he said, or even drive you to your destination. Wyatt wants all students to feel safe when they are on Lipscomb’s campus.
Wyatt expressed enthusiasm in a new police precinct called Midtown Hills that will cover the Wedgewood area, including the campuses of Lipscomb, Belmont and Vanderbilt. Wyatt said Lipscomb security has a great working relationship with Metro Police and looks forward to hopefully gaining closer relations with the other campus securities once the precinct opens.
In these upcoming months especially, students must understand that Lipscomb security should be considered a great ally, not a nuisance, Wyatt said.
Wyatt said he hopes students view their relationship with campus security as one of pure friendship and trust. He said that the mission of Lipscomb’s campus security is to serve students by making the campus a better place.
As the winter nights approach and the holiday season begins, please remember to take safe precautions.
Lipscomb’s security hotline, (615) 966 7600, can be used for any security-related need.