Students key to crime prevention at UNCP

By Amanda Hickey
Senior Staff Writer

While the number of students has increased from last year, UNCP’s Campus Police plans to keep crime at a minimum.

Campus Police hopes to reach out to students and provide their safety needs with constant patrols, auxiliary officers, visiting freshman seminar classes and interacting with the students.

There are always problems in the beginning of the semester, but we manage to work through it by the third and fourth week, said Detective Ed Locklear.

Locklear wants to make sure that students know what they can do to prevent becoming a victim.

“Lock your doors, dorm rooms as well as vehicles.  Don’t go out by yourself.  Be alert when you have to go out by yourself and participate in operation PIN,” are among Locklear’s safety tips. 

Campus Police will visit dorms starting the first week of September to talk about Operation PIN.

This program allows students to engrave their personal property and make an inventory sheet in case of larceny.

Locklear advises students new to the campus take advantage of the daylight.

“Get familiar with your surroundings,”  he said. 

Familiarity with the campus could prevent students from getting lost at night. According to Locklear, being aware of your surroundings is the number one tool for crime prevention.

“The student themselves is the key deterrent of crime,” said Locklear.