The implementation of rules involving social distancing, mask usage and crowd limits have all been administered since the start of March, yet many students continue to ignore them. So as the semester progresses, it is no surprise that Fairfield University’s Department of Public Safety is actively enforcing protocols on campus.
Todd Pelazza, director of DPS, stated that while the anonymous tip feature on the LiveSafe app is not a new tool for Fairfield students, it is definitely not overlooked anymore.
While students are compliant about wearing masks, social distancing has continually been a difficult task to achieve.
Since the beginning of the semester, there has been a decrease in reports to DPS. Anonymous tips are sent in about “15 to 20 times a week,” Pelazza revealed. These reports range from noise complaints to violations of the COVID-19 guidelines. When receiving a tip, DPS officers see the notification almost immediately. Officers will quickly assess the situation once they analyze the report at dispatch.
Once they arrive at the area of complaint, the officers handle the problem accordingly in just a few minutes. Most repercussions include incident reports that are shared with the Office of the Dean of Students, William Johnson. From there, the dean will schedule a mandatory meeting to discuss the issue and evaluate the situation.
DPS was well prepared for Halloween this past weekend, which is usually riddled with parties and events. A meeting between DPS and all residence halls revealed there will be an increased enforcement of rules by RAs and DPS officers on duty. Pelazza hoped that students would “consider the guidelines and follow them accordingly” during Halloween weekend.
On the LiveSafe application’s homepage, you will see six sections: Emergency, Health Verification Survey, Access COVID-19 Information, Report Incident/Submit a Tip, Resources and SafeRide. To send in a tip, click on the ‘Report Incident or Submit a Tip’ tab and choose what kind of situation the officers need to address. You can submit any type of claim using this tool, whether it is a small issue like building maintenance or cleaning services to a more severe problem like policy violations, sexual assault or drug use. In your message, you can include a video, image or audio file. Additionally, you also have the option to submit it anonymously.
Sending in a tip ensures the safety of yourself and others, so do not hesitate to report an incident no matter how big or small it may seem. DPS’s job is to protect us and maintain the well-being of all Fairfield students. With that being said, don’t forget to wear your mask, wash your hands, maintain social distancing and follow every other COVID-19 guideline we have in place!
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