TJC is implementing a new alert system to help students and faculty combat crime and suspicious activity—all while remaining anonymous.
“This service will allow students, employees and even visitors to our campuses and satellite facilities to report suspicious activity or provide crime tips without their identity being exposed,” Dr. Johnny Moore, TJC vice president of Student Affairs, said in a statement released by the college.
The new U-Tip system is the result of a contract TJCsigned with service provider e2campus.
Director of Campus Safety Randy Melton said the U-Tip system is not designed for reporting emergencies.
“This alert system is for the students to use in order to maintain civility on campus, but this system doesn’t replace 911or even the Campus Safety number for usage,” Melton said.
When officers receive a U-Tip text they will launch an investigation, Melton said. He hopes people will come forward with information using U-Tip who would be reluctant to report a crime in person.
“This is a great system for people hesitant to give information to the police directly (but would)
give crime tips without other people knowing you told about crimes being committed,” he said.
Phillip Dean, a kinesiology major, said the system could be useful.
“It can’t hurt to try out the new system,” he said. “It sounds like a good idea.”
Having a system to reportcrimes anonymously is beneficial to students who want to cut down on drug-related and gang-related activities on campus, said Anastasia Garner, a psychology major. She said she would “definitely use the system” if she ever felt caught up in a situation that was dangerous.
Vincent Nguyen, director of Student Success, said, “U-Tip is a great mechanism of communication” allowing students, administration, and Campus Safety to work together to make a safer campus.
Garner agrees. “It’s a small step in bridging the gap between the students and Campus Safety officers,” she said.
Nguyen said shootings at Virginia Tech and other campuses resulted in colleges adopting new measures to allow students to report crimes and receive information about emergencies on campus.
Information about criminal activity will help Campus Security keep TJC safe, Nguyen said.
“The cops here aren’t rent-a-cops. They are certified guntoting licensed police officers here to keep the peace on campus,” he said.
