New neon-trimmed coats increase Safewalk visibility

Volunteers for the Safewalk and Northwalk programs will be sporting new blue jackets with neon yellow lettering and trim to help distinguish themselves as they escort students across campus at night.

"The new jackets with increase safety on campus and help get our name out," Safewalk Student Coordinator Jim Cohen said.

The Sexual Assault Prevention and Awareness Center and the Department of Public Safety sponsors the nightly safety programs, which operate out of the Shapiro Undergraduate Library and Bursley Residence Hall.

Last night, SAPAC and DPS staff members held a presentation outside of the UGLi to unveil the bright jackets. The purpose of the jackets is two-fold.

"We want to make sure that the walkers are safe and have something that will make them identifiable to other students," SAPAC Coordinator Virginia Chitanda said.

JESSICA JOHNSON/Daily Department of Public Safety Director Bill Bess (left) and DPS Liason for Safewalk and Northwalk Jim Sullivan discuss the Safewalk staff's new jackets at the organization's office in the Shapiro Undergraduate Library last night.

Alicia Rinaldi, SAPAC's education and training coordinator, said maintaining a safe atmosphere is difficult, meaning that students can never be 100 percent in control of their surroundings.

"Safewalk and Northwalk provides an option for evening escorts so that students don't have to walk alone at night going to various places," she said.

Previously, volunteers were identifiable only by their badges and walkie-talkies.

"The jackets are to remind students and staff that the program is here and available," Rinaldi said.

Planning for the volunteer program's new jackets began two years ago when student coordinators from Safewalk and Northwalk came up with the idea.

Since then, they have been working closely with SAPAC and DPS staff members and finally were able to see their idea become reality.

"It will add validity to the program," Rinaldi said.

The Safewalk program began 13 years ago and the Northwalk program followed three years later in 1989.

This semester, 100 volunteers work for Safewalk to escort students on Central Campus, while about 30 students work for Northwalk.

"The program is successful because it is an organization of students helping other students," said Jim Sullivan, DPS crime prevention officer. "Since the program started, there have been 6,500 volunteers giving a total of 40,000 walks."

Collectively, the program's volunteers spend 27,000 hours each year walking students to their destinations, Sullivan added.

The program averages 20 to 25 walks per night, totaling more than 3,000 walks each year, Rinaldi said.

Between 13 to 15 volunteers work shifts each night between the hours of 7:30 p.m. and 2:30 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and between the hours of 8 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays.

Safewalk and Northwalk are free.

Students interested in receiving escorts across campus can call 936-1000 for Safewalk and 763-WALK for Northwalk.

11-11-99