The Red and Black

Issue date: 2/28/08 Section: News

Media Credit: LINDY DUGGER Chi Phi President William Wickey lobs a pie at Maj. Shayne Bennett of the Elbert County Sheriff's Office on the Chi Phi lawn Wednesday during a Safe Campuses Now block party to encourage spring break safety. [Click to enlarge]

Braving flying pies and frigid winds Wednesday afternoon, local police officers partnered with Safe Campuses Now to promote spring break safety.

The event was the second in a series of programs held by Safe Campuses Now to encourage safety on and off campus.

"I just think that students think it won't happen to them," said Amanda Smith, a senior from Douglasville and student director for Safe Campuses Now. "They don't have a plan or preventative thinking."

Oft-mentioned strategies for protecting yourself, such as traveling in groups or having a designated driver, will work if used, Smith said.

"Date rape, drugs and other things can be an issue for girls in a group," Smith said.

The group technique is an important method to protect students from potential threats, she said, but violence can happen at any time.

"It kind of stinks that you can't trust everyone," she said. "A guy buying you a drink could be a nice gesture, but you want to be safe."

Police officers volunteered their time and cleanliness to sit for a pie throwing contest, a last-minute replacement for the advertised dunking machine that was canceled due to the cold weather, Smith said.

"If people see other people promoting the same idea [violence prevention], it can work," said Blake Young, an Elbert County police officer.

With the proximity of spring break and high school proms, Young said officers spend time talking about safety precautions. In addition to personal safety, Young said police officers worry about the safety of innocent people who may be in danger of harm.

"We're trying to keep the roads safe," Young said. But he said incidences of crimes reported tend not to spike around spring break. The wind discouraged many from attending, she said.

"It definitely could have been a bigger turn out," she said. "Hopefully they'll come to other events we have going on that are inside."

Next week, Safe Campuses Now will host three events targeting University students before they leave for spring break.

It will hold a "Girls' Night Out" and a companion event called "Guys' Night Out."

Safe Campuses Now will cap off the series with a program inspired by the death of Sam Spady, who died alone after binge drinking at a fraternity house.

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