Recent community crime not affecting safety protocol, officials say

In just over three months, a triple homicide, a campus lockdown and the escape of three inmates from the Orange County Jail have called the current security protocols in place at Chapman into question.

Public Safety is continuing to work closely with the Orange Police Department to maintain current precautions to protect Chapman students, said representatives of both organizations.

“There are no specific plans (for new security protocols), other than to continue to provide the best police services to the community while creating a safe living environment for everyone, not just students,” said Lt. Fred Lopez, public information officer of the Orange Police Department.

Public Safety is constantly reevaluating current safety procedures and determining how efficiently they work for the student community, said Chief Randy Burba of Public Safety. However, recent violent events in close proximity to campus have not spurred a dramatic change in protocol, with both Public Safety and the police functioning much as they did prior to the incidents.

“Random acts of violence are always a possibility,” Burba said. “I would recommend that students continue to practice good safety habits, report suspicious activity and take advantage of the Panther Guardian.”

The Panther Guardian is a smartphone application that was released in December 2013, allowing students to connect with a contact who will be alerted if the user is in immediate danger, exhibiting the rising use of technology as a tool to combat campus crime. Burba also supports the use of the Panther Alert system, an alert system that contacts registered students via phone calls, emails and text messages during emergencies.

On Nov. 12, a burned SUV with three bodies inside was discovered half a mile from campus in a neighborhood with many Chapman students. The Panther Alert system was not utilized in this occasion because it did not pose a threat to the university, said Capt. Craig Lee of Public Safety. After months of investigation, the triple homicide was determined to be gang-related.

“I have so many friends that live near the triple homicide,” said Sophie Gonzales, a freshman biochemistry major. “The university didn’t even tell students about what happened.”

On Dec. 15, Chapman’s campus was locked down after reports of an armed gunman in DeMille Hall were called in to Public Safety. A series of Panther Alerts were sent to students, warning them to shelter in place and providing security details and descriptions of the suspect.

“I think that (the Panther Alerts) had the opposite effect of what they intended to do,” said Roanan Keldin, a freshman political science major. “Rather than informing the students, they created a widespread panic by using phrasing that was too vague. They painted a different picture than what was actually going on.”

However, students closer to the situation felt differently about the alert system. Connor Broughton, a freshman business administration major, was taking a final in DeMille Hall when he received the first alert.

“The information and Panther Alerts really came in handy, and it was nice to know that they worked in a suspicious situation,” Broughton said.

On Jan. 23, three prisoners indicted for violent crimes escaped from the Orange County Sheriff’s Department Central Jail Complex, which is less than 20 minutes away from Chapman.

One escaped inmate turned himself in to authorities in Santa Ana Jan. 29 and the remaining two were captured in San Francisco Jan. 30.

Neither Burba nor Lopez have expressed plans to change security protocols in light of recent events, leaving some students concerned.

“I think that with everything happening lately, I’ve had to take more precaution when walking on campus,” Gonzales said.

Both Chapman and the Orange Police Department need to take more precautions to protect Chapman students, Gonzales said.

Genevieve Vacherot, a freshman communication studies and French major who lives off campus, feels differently.

“The lack of change doesn’t really concern me because I don’t really feel threatened on campus,” Vacherot said. “I still feel safe – I think (dangerous events) happen everywhere.”

Lopez said that the most recent situations were handled well, with adequate communication between Public Safety and police officers.

“We work in partnership with Public Safety,” Lopez said. “They do a great job of keeping us informed and calling us with regards to anything they feel creates a safety concern for their students.”