On February 24, NJIT’s Department of Public Safety held a Welcome Back Breakfast during the Police Week for students as a sort of meet and greet. There, students could share a nice breakfast while meeting, chatting, and sharing concerns with present officers.

Having personally met officers from Public Safety multiple times around campus and from their events, I saw a lot of familiar faces of officers that worked in the station in the parking deck, as well as some unfamiliar ones. It was a great experience for many students as they got to meet the chief of police and many different officers stationed around campus.

There was a suggestion box that students could contribute to if they thought they could help improve the campus or fix any issues. One officer explained that whatever suggestion given to them, they would be able to redirect the concern to the specified location.

For example, if there was a suggestion of a major crack in the parking deck hindering car movement or possibly damaging the car, they would redirect it to the place in charge of the parking deck and its quality. If there was a broken door at a certain building, they could ask to repair it.

This gave students the ability to voice their concerns about things in the school that could be touched up on. There was also a volunteer sign-up sheet that the public safety presented to diners. It was specified that students who sign up would get volunteer hours. Those who sign-up would also be able to get a campus walkthrough to help prevent thefts and be able to volunteer with Public Safety for helping make the campus a better place.

Students that participate are usually then kept on a list of potential recipients of the new Public Safety Challenge Coin. The coin, meant to serve as a reminder of one’s duty to NJIT, will be given out to people that have assisted Public Safety at their end of the semester Challenge Coin Award Ceremony.

Theta Chi of NJIT even made an appearance to support them; several brothers were present at the breakfast and assisted the officers.

“Public Safety does so much for us so we wanted to show appreciation and meet some of them. We even got to help table for them in the campus center afterwards,” Diego Jimenez of Theta Chi said. “They are very friendly, willing to help and are good people.”

The tabling held after the breakfast was to spread awareness to NJIT students about all the departments available for the students. The Center for Counseling and Psychological Services (CCAPS) offers free counseling to all students with professional psychologists. Also, Public Safety always works very hard to keep us safe and secure.

NJIT’s Department of Public Safety helps assure our students that they are friendly people and try their best to protect us on campus. Being close to our police helps students understand more on how they take care of the campus and what they do to keep our campus secure.

Remember, if you are an NJIT student who witnesses any suspicious activity, or if you just do not feel safe, go to Public Safety and see a police officer.