Kennesaw State’s Police Department began posting updates and safety notifications on its website and Facebook page as a way to inform students, faculty and staff about any dangers that have occurred on campus.
KSU Police Chief Edward Stephens said that he has focused on reviewing the department’s website since he assumed his role in June.
“Our goal is to improve the site so that it is more user-friendly and provides the type of information and resources necessary to keep the campus community updated on safety issues,” Stephens said.
Stephens explained that the notifications that will be posted to the website and the Facebook page include emergency notifications, university safety notifications and timely warnings.
Emergency notifications are sent when there is an immediate threat to the safety of the campus or the community. Stephens said that emergency notifications are also sent out through the RAVE alert system.
University safety notifications occur when an incident takes place on or near the campus that could affect the well being of the KSU community. Stephens said that timely warnings are issued when there is an ongoing threat to the campus. Timely warnings include alerts that are federally mandated under The Clery Act such as sexual assault, homicide, robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and arson.
Stephens explained that this is the first time that the department has provided a notification section on its website other than the required daily crime logs.
“We have always been committed to providing a safe and secure campus community, and we seek opportunities to advance this effort,” Stephens said.
Any alerts can be found on the Police Department’s website under the new notification page.
“We will continue to review our website and our social media outlets to make improvements and identify opportunities that will allow for information to be provided to our community,” Stephens said.
The department’s website states that the first notification was from Aug. 29 after police detained a KSU student who had brought a loaded gun onto campus. The notification was posted on the website and on the department’s Facebook page on Sept. 6 — eight days after the incident occurred.
The notification states that the student made comments that led to a KSU counselor’s decision to involuntarily commit the student for evaluation, but it was not specific as to what comments were made. An incident report obtained from the police department later revealed that the student had threatened to “kill students who wronged him.”
KSUPD originally sent an email to faculty, staff and students on Aug. 30, the day after the incident, informing the community as to what happened. The email stated that “despite rumors circulated on social media, KSUPD has no evidence that the student made any threats towards specific individuals or the community in general.”
One other notification has been posted to the website so far. It was posted on Oct. 1, informing faculty, staff and students that four armed suspects had abandoned a car on campus.
The suspects were reportedly involved in a police shootout at a Texaco gas station on the corner of Moon Station and Jiles roads near the Kennesaw campus. After police arrived on the scene, the suspects fled the scene in a vehicle. Police lost track of the suspects and police later found the vehicle abandoned on KSU’s campus near the East Parking Deck on Frey road.
Stephens recommends visiting the department’s website and following the department’s Facebook page to stay updated on any new notifications.
“Students should take the time to review and be familiar with the resources available, like the LiveSafe app, in order to stay connected and informed,” Stephens said.
