“We take pride in this community, if we take pride in this community, I feel like it’s our responsibility to make it safe for us and for everybody else,” SMU Police Sergeant Juan Vasquez said.

Safety is SMU PD’s main priority around the SMU campus. SMU has around 2,000 security cameras, some on lamp posts and many in buildings. Besides security cameras, the blue light system is a necessity on campus for anyone in need of help.

“Students have used it for emergency purposes, and its helped a lot,” Vasquez noted.

If someone is in danger, has an emergency, or needs assistance, they can press the call button, which immediately goes to dispatch.

“I think they need more around more of the campus but I think it’s great,” he said.

SMU PD monitors the campus’ safety through the dispatch and control center.

We take non-emergency calls… We take emergemcy calls as well from students…From faculty…From all over the place.

We take non-emergency calls, we take emergency calls as well from students, from faculty, from all over the place,” SMU dispatcher Maggie Deleon said.

One of Sgt. Vasquez’s main safety tips is to be aware of your surroundings and not look at your phone while walking through campus.

SMU also has its own SWAT team and task force, and holds safety and self-defense classes that anyone can attend and are free of charge.

“It’ll give you the confidence to protect yourself and it’s fun, it’s like exercising,” Vasquez explained.

Though SMU PD has many safety precautions, the department believes they can always improve.

“We need to step up our game as well, as a law enforcement community,” Vasquez said.

“I feel like I’m always getting emails about disturbances or people doing illegal things, so security can definitely increase,” SMU junior Ryan Capo stated.

You can find more information and safety tips at smu.edu/businessfinance/police