Photo illustration by Amy He.

“I haven’t heard lots of unsafe things,” said Abby Burchill ‘15 when asked about the safety of West Lafayette. Many other students seem to share the mentality that the city is a really sheltered place to be. When asked to rate the safety of the school and community on a scale of 1 to 10, with 10 being the safest, most students answered “8.”
However, recent events contradict student opinion. There was a shooting on Huron Road and Navajo Drive this past summer. Although WLFI news only reported one casualty this incident was local.
A flasher has also been reported at the local Target and TJ Maxx stores. A man has been exposing himself to young girls at these two stores, reported WLFI.  Although the flasher has only struck in Lafayette, this may be a concern for students who regularly visit Target and TJ Maxx. Customers have reported him for three months and the man still has not been caught.
The West Lafayette Police Department’s goal is to “focus on the safest environment,” said Chief Jason Dombkowski. He went on to say that there have been more patrols and cops on duty but less crime.
Mr. Shriner said that he is confident in the security of the school because of our “good relationship with local emergency responders.”
Chief Dombkowski said that having a safety officer in the school can break barriers between student and police relationships. The officers are trained to handle everything from “spills to terrorist attacks,” said Mr. Shriner.
The most important action to ensure student safety is communication. Students are encouraged to report a situation if something does not seem right.
“Always be aware of your surroundings,” added Chief Dombkowski. “Don’t be a spectator.”