Every day, many students walk on campus thinking all students on campus are safe, and the police on campus will keep the students protected at all times.
Students can just hope anyone with a concealed weapon on them is; mentally stable, especially those who are living on campus, specifically in dorms.
Ashley Henderson, a nursing major from Houston, said she did feel safe in the residence halls, as nothing too crazy ever happened to her knowledge.
I never knew anyone with a concealed weapon in the dorm; so that thought never even crossed my mind and I never encountered that,” Henderson said.
The Texas Tech Police Department helps make the campus environment feel a lot safer, she said, especially with officers constantly patrolling the campus. However, she said she does have some ideas in mind to help make the campus feel even safer.
I think the school could provide more blue lights throughout campus to make it a little bit safer,” Henderson said.
Texas is one of 10 states that allows campus carry as of 2016. A person must be 21 years old to legally carry a concealed weapon on a school campus. Those who choose to carry, must have a license and meet all the requirements, including training and a proficiency test.
Safety is our top priority for our staff, faculty, and students. Just being more aware of what is going on,” Amy Ivey, a lieutenant with the Texas Tech Police Department, said.
Really, what we do with patrolling the campus and what we do has not changed except for we could patrol certain areas a little bit more and focusing on certain areas and certain type of crimes.”
There are certain rules in place for those who choose to carry, Ivey said.
There are only four dorms on campus that you can have a concealed weapon in,” Ivey said.
Those are Murray, Talkington Hall, West Village and Carpenter/Wells. Those are just because those are the individual style dorms.”
In addtion to being 21 or older, individuals who wish to carry must have their licenses from the Texas Department of Public Safety, Ivey said. It has to stay concealed at all times, and they have to have some type of hotel-size safe in their dorm room that is approved by housing.
Erin Easterwood, an interior design major from Denver, Colorado, said he wishes security for the dorms was a bit tighter to ensure the students could be guaranteed safety.
He said he is; often asked by many people, often older non-students, to be; let into his residence hall to deliver food, and he must tell them “no.”
I also have had a really weird encounter with this guy I used to talk to,” Easterwood said. “He did not live in my dorm but he would show up at my dorm; and it would be like three in the morning, and he would be at my door.
This happened for three weeks straight and he would just drop stuff off there and then just stand there.”
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