A student walking across the 夜色视频 campus after dark may have questions that aren’t answered in a syllabus: Who do I call if I feel unsafe? What happens if I see something suspicious? What happens after someone reports a concern?
Through the University Police Department-Northern Command, the University provides emergency response, safety education and connections to campus and community resources. Madison Eifert, community relations specialist for University Police Services, helps lead those efforts through public education, outreach, social media and special projects supporting department operations.
Her work helps students understand where to turn before an emergency happens.
“My job includes doing our social media, our events, and organizing our public education, including the training for active assailants, personal safety and women’s self-defense,” Eifert said.
For students facing an immediate emergency, Eifert recommends calling 911.
When someone calls, a dispatcher receives the call and uses the phone’s location information to help identify where the person may be. Dispatchers then communicate with officers over the radio so they can respond to the situation.
Students who cannot safely speak on the phone can also text 911. However, Eifert said text messages do not provide dispatchers with location information in the same way a phone call does. Students should clearly describe their location, starting with the campus and narrowing it down to a specific building or area.
For example, a student on the University’s main campus could identify the campus, name the building and provide a more specific location within it.
Eifert encourages students to familiarize themselves with their phones’ emergency-calling features before an emergency occurs. Depending on the device, these features may allow someone to contact emergency services without navigating the phone’s dial pad.
Knowing how to use these features can help students act quickly when making a conventional call is difficult.
Not every safety concern begins or ends with a police response. University Police Services works with campus departments and community organizations to connect people with additional support. The department has an internal victim advocate who can help people affected by crime navigate available resources, Eifert said. Those connections may include Nevada Cares, the University’s Student Health Center, Counseling Services and the office responsible for Title IX and civil rights matters, the Center for Civil Rights and Equal Access.
The department also works with the Office of Student Conduct and crisis intervention professionals, along with community organizations that provide mental health and housing assistance. These partnerships allow officers to connect students with support that extends beyond law enforcement.
Campus safety includes taking practical steps to protect personal belongings, particularly bicycles, electric bikes and electric scooters.
Eifert said one of her primary recommendations is for students to document valuable belongings before bringing them to campus. Students should photograph their property and record serial numbers whenever possible.
That information can help officers identify recovered property and enter serial numbers into a national database, allowing other law enforcement agencies to identify potentially stolen items. Eifert said approximately 85% of the stolen electric bike and electric scooter reports the department was seeing at the time of the interview did not include a serial number. Without a serial number or other identifying information, officers may have difficulty verifying ownership and returning recovered property.
Eifert also encourages students to secure their belongings and avoid leaving items unattended. For bicycles and scooters, she recommends using U-bolt locks rather than relying exclusively on thinner cable locks. Although no lock is entirely theft-proof, using multiple locks can make a bicycle or scooter more difficult to steal.
As students prepare for Halloween and other nighttime activities, Eifert encourages them to remain aware of their surroundings and take precautions when spending time on or off campus.
For students who choose to drink alcohol, she recommends knowing their limits, avoiding driving and keeping an eye on their drinks. Students should watch drinks being prepared, keep them covered when possible and avoid leaving them unattended. She advises students to understand how medications and other substances may interact with alcohol.
Pedestrian visibility is another focus of the department’s safety efforts. University Police Services is working with pedestrian safety grants and conducting outreach to encourage safer walking habits around campus.
Eifert recommends wearing bright or reflective clothing when walking at night and remaining alert to surrounding traffic. The department also distributes reflective materials and flashlights to help students become more visible to drivers.
Students using rideshare services should confirm that they are entering the correct vehicle and meeting the correct driver. University Police Services has established designated pickup points on campus as part of its work with the , which promotes rideshare safety.
University Police Services also works with multiple higher education institutions and research organizations across Nevada, including Truckee Meadows Community College, Western Nevada College, Great Basin College and the Desert Research Institute. Eifert said safety education and outreach can be tailored to the different environments and needs of those campuses.
At the University, students can learn more about available services, safety education and department resources through the University Police Services website.
Knowing how to contact emergency services, where to find support and how to protect personal belongings can help students make informed decisions on and off campus.
Whether students are walking home after dark, securing their bikes or seeking assistance, understanding the resources available to them is an important part of navigating campus safely.
