Approximately 15 minutes from campus, there is a mini-community called Safety City that is run by Abilene’s police and fire departments. Throughout the year, kids come to this facility from across Abilene to learn how to make wise choices in situations that are potentially harmful to them. These first through third grade kids are taking steps toward learning how to keep themselves and others safe. College kids on the other side of town, however, are neglecting this topic altogether.
The ACU campus is full of loving and caring people and is well protected by the ACU police department, which is equal in jurisdiction to the Abilene police department. However, it is not immune to the dangers of the outside world.
Every week, police statistics paint a different picture of Abilene than is seen in the ringing community of ACU that gathers in Moody Coliseum every day at 11 o’clock. This past weekend, a shoplifter walked away with $430 worth of merchandise, a car on South 7th Street was busted for unlawfully carrying marijuana and handguns and a drunk driver was busted on Park Avenue.
A high number of students fall victim to burglary each year, on campus and off. Whether it’s an iPhone being stolen from a desk in the library, a few items disappearing from a dorm, or an entire off-campus house getting ransacked, there are plenty of reasons for students to be aware and safety conscious.
Many students come to campus and continue to rest under the umbrella of safety they grew accustomed to at home. However, since they are on their own, students need to monitor their surroundings for themselves and generate good practices that will help them protect themselves. Safety is a habit that has to be developed over time.
It only takes a moment for an accident or attack to drastically alter someone’s life. Students tend to be more relaxed about things because they are living in a college atmosphere. Many will move into a rental house without even checking to see if their smoke detectors work, or without checking under the sink for toxic black mold. Yet it’s the small things, like checking for cars at a cross-walk before biking across it, or being able to recognize the smell of a gas leak in a house, that can save a life.
Abilene is a city just like any other. The presence of three Christian universities doesn’t rid it of crime. People still fall victims to shootings, sexual abuse, robbery and can be the target of a stranger with a baseball bat. People around town own guns, drive drunk and are heavy users of illegal substances, some of whom may even be students.
Those that step out to fully engage the community in Abilene will likely see its rougher side. It is nothing to run from in fear, but it is important to be smart about how to handle oneself in different environments. Realistically, even gangsters use street smarts to protect themselves, so why shouldn’t students be equally alert?
There is no need to live life in constant paranoia, but it’s reasonable to take safety into consideration in minor ways that could make a difference.
Things like locking doors, not leaving possessions unattended and putting up curtains are smart ways to keep others from being tempted and can keep students from being a target.
Though there are many great people around campus looking out for students, it is necessary for students to learn to look out for themselves and others. Students are privileged to live in a relatively safe town, but it is still beneficial to form safety habits that they can carry with them to their next residence, whether that is a large city or a rural town. Be smart and stay aware: it could make all the difference in the real world.
