SAFETY SPRAY: University Police Officer Adam Darmstadt demonstrates the proper way to use pepper spray at the Campus and Community Safety Fair held on Oct. 28 in the Student Union Multi-Purpose Room.

University Police officers take to their bikes in the name of safety

Officer Johnny Coxum said having University Police officers patrolling the campus on mountain bikes, in addition to patrol cars and on foot, promotes the department’s visibility and mobility – two elements that are key in campus safety.

Coxum is one of five officers trained to serve on bike patrol. The department uses the system during the warm weather months. It is also an effective tool at large-scale campus events, such as commencement, the faculty/staff barbecue at the end of the spring semester and fall convocation. Coxum said it is easier for officers to maneuver around such events on two wheels.

In addition to promoting safety, Coxum said officers who ride the bikes during their shifts are healthier because of the exercise. The bike patrol, which has been in effect for more than 20 years, is also an economically sound and environmentally friendly program.

This is the second in a series of monthly Campus Safety articles with University Police Officer Johnny Coxum.

In case of emergency, look for a blue light

Help is always only a phone call away. And there are many ways to reach University Police in case of emergency.

The most visible method of contacting the University Police Department on campus is the blue light phone system. Across campus, there are 53 of these well-lit call boxes designated with a bright blue light.

With just the push of a button, the phones dial directly to the University Police Department’s 911 emergency line. Officer Johnny Coxum said that dialing 911 from any campus phone will connect the caller with the University Police Department. He also encourages campus community members to program the department’s emergency number into their cell phones.

The call boxes are installed in areas of high pedestrian traffic across campus, including outside of the Athletic and Wellness Center, in the Route 32 parking lot and outside of many of the residence halls. According to K.C. Stevens (Telecommunications), a phone can be seen from most locations on campus.

In addition, each campus building has an exterior telephone and all campus residence halls have direct-ring emergency telephones in the entrance of each building.

The blue light phones are maintained by the Telecommunications office on campus. The office should be contacted at x4357 if an emergency telephone is found to be out of service or appears to have been vandalized or to initiate a request for an emergency telephone.

University Police works with community to ensure a safe campus for everyone

It is Officer Johnny Coxum’s duty to get out and interact with the campus community.

As the community policing and crime prevention officer for the University Police Department, Coxum is responsible for working closely with students, faculty, staff and visitors at New Paltz in order to fulfill the department’s mission of maintaining and promoting a safe environment.

He said he is a liaison between the University Police Department and the campus community. “I talk with people and walk around campus,” said Coxum. “My job is to be seen.”

One of his roles is to be proactive and make sure there is less of a need for reactionary police involvement. In order to achieve that goal, Coxum facilitates programs for students and faculty that teach safety and security techniques. He can often be seen hosting programs, such as Operation ID – a nationwide security program where officers engrave individuals’ property with an identification number – in the residence halls.

Among the list of educational programs that University Police provide are Drunk Busters, Rape Aggression Defense (RAD), Safety 101 and Defensive Driving. Coxum has also created programming on such topics as what every citizen should know and Miranda Rights. He also works with off-campus organizations, such as the New Paltz Youth Center and local Boy Scout troops.

A member of the University Police Department since 1998, Coxum was appointed to the community policing and crime prevention officer role in 2008.