The recent wave of crime in New Jersey and New York has led to an increase in safety measures at Stevens.
In order to prioritize the protection of students and local residents, Stevens Campus Police have been in frequent contact with the Hoboken Police Department (HPD) to stay aware of local events as well as the FBI to stay informed of any terrorist alerts that may affect campus.
Two individuals were shot in separate incidents in Hoboken on Saturday, September 17. As of Thursday, one arrest has been made in regards to one of the events. A pipe-bomb device also exploded before a 5k run to benefit Marines in Seaside Park, NJ.
Another five potential explosive devices were found in Elizabeth, NJ, though there were no injuries related to any of these devices.
The suspect of the New York bombing in Chelsea, Manhattan that injured 29 people, Ahmad Rahami, was arrested and charged with several crimes on Sunday, September 18. A second device was found undetonated blocks away.
All of these events occurring in such a small time frame has caused the Stevens Police Department to increase security measures both on and off campus.
All students and faculty at Stevens received an informational bulletin about these events.
“[The police department] put an alert out to the community,” said Chief of Police Tim Griffin.
According to Griffin, one of the department’s main goals after the first bombings was to ensure that everyone was aware of how to respond to potentially dangerous items, especially those who regularly work in waste management.
“We were concerned about…our physical plant workers,” said Griffith.
It is important for students, faculty, and staff to be aware of any suspicious behavior or items so that they know the correct course of action to keep themselves safe. Anything that seems suspicious should be immediately reported to the Sevens Police Department or, if off-campus, 911.
Stevens Police has posted officers to potentially dangerous areas in Hoboken in addition to the increased patrol of those areas by the HPD.
According to Griffin, officers have also been doing patrol checks on off-campus housing every half hour to help ensure that all students are as safe as possible, especially those living in the city.
Campus police will also continue to offer courtesy rides to any students who feel unsafe or uncertain about traveling home, especially after shuttle services end.
Griffin advises students to “take caution” at night. “Always try to walk in groups and be aware of your surroundings,” stated Griffin in a Stevens Community Crime Bulletin email.
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