News > November 13, 2008

By Lauren Dayton | Staff writer

The university has implemented new security measures to protect its students, faculty and staff while the University Police Department collaborates with the Winston-Salem Police Department to find the person(s) responsible for a string of crimes that took place in the last few weeks. There have been three separate incidents, two involving university students and one of those occurring on-campus.

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(Graphic by Bobby O'Connor/Old Gold & Black)

Another crime was reported early in the morning on Nov. 6, when two male university students contacted University Police by means of the callbox on the paved pathway that runs from the university campus to Reynolda Village.

The students claimed that a man armed with a handgun approached them as they were jogging and demanded money.

On Nov. 11 the university released a report that University Police had determined the alleged robbery did not actually occur. The matter has been referred to the university’s Office of the Dean of Students for appropriate action.

“Since the incident involves students we cannot provide any more information at this time,” said Kevin Cox, assistant vice-president and director of media relations.

“All that we can say is that the University Police have determined the robbery did not occur.”

Prior to the release of this information, the university enacted improved security measures.

Despite the determination that the alleged robbery did not occur, University Police are still investigating the other recent robberies on and near campus that they believe to be connected.

On Oct. 27 a retired resident of Brookwood Drive (right across University Parkway, about a mile from campus) was robbed outside his home.

The next day a female student was robbed outside her apartment at the Deacon Ridge complex.

Then on Oct. 30 a student was held up in a parking lot outside of the Polo Residence Hall and forced to drive to ATMs around Winston-Salem.

Incidents such as these are rare on the university campus; the last armed robbery on campus took place over three years ago in September, 2005. The incident occurred in parking lot Q and the robber was apprehended.

Although the police departments have not yet put out any warrants, they are actively pursuing a number of suspects.

“We feel very strongly that the same individual is responsible for all of the recent events,” said Regina Lawson, university chief of police.

In response to the recent crimes, the university enhanced security on and around campus. There are now additional police patrols from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. around the perimeter of North Campus and auxiliary patrols in Reynolda Village and along the pathway that connects campus and Reynolda Village.

The campus gatehouses are now staffed from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. (instead of from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m.), and the Polo Road entrance is now closed from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

In order to further protect the community, Reynolda Village has added a security guard to patrol its buildings and parking lots. 

In addition, the Winston-Salem Police Department has increased patrols in neighborhoods adjacent to campus.

In his e-mail to the students, faculty and staff on Nov. 6, President Nathan O. Hatch urged them to be responsible for their personal safety by staying “alert to potentially dangerous situations” and “taking reasonable precautions and immediately reporting any suspicious situations or suspicious persons to University Police.”

The campus shuttle is available every day from 7:45 a.m. to 3 a.m. Students can contact the University Police if they need an escort and the shuttle is no longer running.

Soon there may be another option on campus for students who need an escort. Matt Triplett, speaker of the house for Student Government, is starting an initiative to have a volunteer student escort service. His vision is for the Safe Walk Program’s members to be student volunteers who are each certified in a self-defense course and will carry a cell phone that circulates among members each night.

Whenever a member is on duty he or she would be obligated to respond to any calls and would walk the student to his or her final destination.

Triplett has championed the need for a group like this on campus. “In light of recent events on campus though, I’ve gained more support for this and also am more certain of its necessity,” he said.

Students interested in participating in the Safe Walk Program can contact Triplett at tripmr5@wfu.edu for more information.