'WE'RE HERE TO PROTECT THE STUDENTS'

Adopt-A-Hall Program Puts Tech Police Officers Inside Dorms Regularly

BLACKSBURG - Strange looks followed Officer Scott Lau as he walked the floors of Pritchard Hall.

Heads turned at the sight of a Virginia Tech police officer strolling down the corridor. Some students scurried back into their rooms. Others offered a curious and muffled greeting.

Lau just smiled and kept up his leisurely pace. The reactions are expected.

"It's just a matter of everyone getting used to it," Lau said. "It's like any new experience."

Until this year, the only time Virginia Tech officers invaded the sanctity of the residence halls was to deal with the aftermath of a crime or to make an arrest. But now, foot patrols inside the residence halls and on-campus fraternity and sorority houses are becoming part of the daily scene.

The police department's Adopt-A-Hall program started in early October, an outcropping of its new community-oriented policing focus. The goal is to forge a cooperative partnership between students and police that relies on communication and trust, said Chief Debra Duncan. Through that,

both sides can better work together to reduce crime, Duncan said.

"In this day and age, students have gone through school with these school resource officers, and they do build relationships with them," she said. "If we can do that in the grade schools and in the high schools, why can't we do it in the colleges and the universities?"

So this school year, they are.

Officers and sergeants are assigned to patrol specific halls. In addition to their other duties, officers are asked to walk the hallways at least twice during their 12-hour shifts or, for now with the department down six officers, as time allows.

"I think it's going to be a good program, but I think there's going to be a lot of mixed reaction," Lau said.

Most students on campus have yet to hear about the program, despite fliers plastered around the residence halls and dining areas. Most said they have no problem with the idea of officers occasionally walking the hallways.

But student David Anderson said he doesn't see the reason for the increased presence.

"I have no problem with it, but I think it's a little unnecessary," Anderson said. "I don't see the need for security of that level."

That mixed reaction has come from both sides. Police officers grumbled as well when Duncan began explaining her idea.

"My first reaction, honestly, was 'Oh Lord, here we go,'" Lau said. "I was really curious to see how it was going to be set up. But it's not like it was unexpected."

Since July, when Duncan took over the chief's job, officers have been encouraged to become more visible on campus, walking through various buildings and taking the time to speak with the community, said officer Andy Wilburn. The Adopt-A-Hall program is merely an extension of that, he said.

"I think it's a good idea," said Chris Moore, a resident adviser who watches 36 students on third floor of Pritchard Hall.

Word of the program has spread throughout the floors as officers have spent the past two weeks meeting with resident advisers and explaining it.

"A lot of the students don't have much of a problem with it," Moore said.

But change will take time.

Officers expect it will take until spring for students to get used to the idea of a police officer strolling the halls at random intervals. For now, most see an officer and assume someone has run into trouble with the law.

"We do get a lot of 'What are you doing here?'" Wilburn said. "The first time I walked into a hall, five people immediately walked up to me and asked who was in trouble."

And while officers are reassuring students and staff that they're not walking through specifically to look for law-breakers, they won't turn a blind eye to obvious problems, such as underage drinking or the smell of marijuana drifting through a hallway, either.

"I think they think we're going to ignore a lot of things," Wilburn said. "But we are here to enforce. We're not going to ignore things."

But for now, many students seem content to accept the officers presence and their offers of crime-prevention programs.

The Pi Beta Phi sorority invited an officer to speak last week to the 82 members about personal protection.

Cara Freer, the chapter's wellness chairwoman, said the sorority already has a good relationship with the police department and wanted to take advantage of whatever advice officers could offer.

"It's a great opportunity, especially for women," Freer said. "It's important for us to be aware of self-defense and things like that, and this is one way to get to know what resources are available to us on campus."

Officer Kevin Smith told the group that the key to safety is simple. Keep doors locked. Always travel in groups. Trust your instincts. And if something does happen, press charges.

"Just use common sense. That is the one thing I can tell you that's going to help you quicker than anything else. Just use common sense and trust your instincts, and you'll more than likely stay out of trouble," Smith said.

Police are here to help, he said.

"This is supposed to be the best time of your life, and it's also a learning time," Smith said. "You can have a good time. You can party. You can have the time of your life here. But you can also be hurt for the rest of your life here, so be careful."

Smith said he hopes the Adopt-A-Hall program does forge new relationships with students and help build better relationships.

"Law enforcement, by its nature, is somewhat negative," he said. "You're going to leave a sour taste in someone's mouth if you do your job."

But through communication and a mutual sense of respect, people can see the positive side of law enforcement and make a difference on campus, he said.

"You want to build relationships," he said. "You want people to know you well enough so that if they see something going on that shouldn't be, they'll come up to you and say something about it."

And that, Duncan said, is the ultimate goal of the police department.

"We're here to protect the students," she said. "That's our job."