How Important Is Your Safety on Campus

When it comes to the safety of Wright College, the security staff is tasked with making sure procedures are in place to prevent a major incident.

Here at Wright College, the security staff makes sure students, teachers, and guests are safe, but is there really enough security to take on the task if an emergency situation were to happen? Who really knows what to do if an emergency occurs? Knowing what to do and how to react during a critical situation can help your judgement and pattern of thinking during that time.

According to Director of Security Jack Murphy, “Security has a concrete plan in place to be able to tackle any situation that may arise here at Wright.”

Murphy has been on security here at Wright for 38 years and was also a Chicago Police officer. Murphy was asked if he had a problem with the need for more security on staff, to which Murphy stated, “We’ve been fortunate that we’ve always had enough security to handle any situation.”

For a school that holds more than a thousand students and faculty, each year can raise concern due to the amount of active shooter or emergency situations occurring throughout the country. You see that there is a big need for security to be in place and taking the necessary precautions to ensure the safety of others.

“If something were to happen here I don’t think security would be prepared. I don’t believe any place would be prepared for an active shooter situation,” said Wilbur Wright student Luisito Correa. Correa also mentions that he does not feel safe because the security staff are not armed. He believes that there should be more safety precautions put in place.

Criminal justice professor and former 30 year Chicago Police Officer Larry Casey says that security does a phenomenal job and that they are more than capable if something were to happen. He also believes that the student body here at Wright is good and that there is not a need to have metal detectors here for an extra screening.

Casey speaks on an incident that occurred last semester where someone was going through the hallways posting a sign on each door that had writing in a foreign language. “I had one person to interpret it and I alerted security immediately.” Securities response was quick and they handled the situation with no problem.

Physical Science and Chemistry professor Dr. Maria Valentino has been at Wright for 23 years. “I arrive to school at 5 o’clock in the morning and, for the most part, I feel safe here, but not completely safe. I believe there should be more security and that security should patrol the hallways with someone in the parking lot,” says Valentino.

Additionally, every semester there is an active shooter presentation in the theatre. Talking with security, this presentation is put out and encouraged so that all faculty and students are aware of what to do if an emergency situation were to occur. The presentation will entail what to do during an active shooter situation and will be held during the month of November for the Fall 2017 semester. It is recommended that every student and faculty member attend to have the knowledge of what to do if a tragic event was to occur.

When it comes to the safety and well being of a person, it is up to safety officials to take the lead. Security has exemplified that campus safety is their top priority and that they know it is on them to prevent any situation that would arise here at Wright.