Police Chief Rodgers sent a campus-wide email March 19 to students regarding campus safety following the attempted abduction in Cokesbury Court Apartments on March 7.
There were two reports of attempted abductions, with one student reporting being grabbed by the arm.
Rodgers said the OCU police department has purchase more security cameras to be placed in Cokesbury and will maintain increased patrols around campus.
Lauren Mylin, acting senior, said when she saw the email, she was glad to know about the extra security.
“It’s important that they took it seriously,” she said. “If I hadn’t gotten the email, I would have been really disappointed, because I think that it’s really important that we all communicate what’s going on and make sure things don’t happen again.”
The email warned students to be aware when walking around campus, and to keep cell phones and keys out and accessible. Rodgers encouraged students to utilize the “Never Walk Alone” program, which allows students to be escorted by campus police to any location on campus at any time.
“If you become uncomfortable in your surroundings on campus, utilize a blue phone or call the OCUPD’s emergency number at 405-208-5911. We will stay on the call with you and send a university police officer to your location,” the email said.
Mylin said she appreciates the program, but she said she always felt too embarrassed to ask an officer to walk her home.
“I usually have my own ‘Never Walk Alone’ program where I make sure I, or others, have a friend,” she said.
If any person sees suspicious activity, he or she should call campus police immediately to report the incident, Rodgers said.
“Please contact me or any OCU police officer if there is anything we can do to help you feel safer on campus,” Rodgers wrote in the email.
Mylin said the new security initiatives will make students feel a little safer, but she recognizes that students can never feel truly secure on campus.
“We are in Oklahoma City, and there’s always going to be people walking around, so I think we’re just going to have to continuously take it on ourselves to take all the safety precautions we can,” she said.
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