Leaders: Talk about safety

MOSCOW — Leaders in the community and at University of Idaho encouraged residents to advocate for themselves if they have concerns about personal safety.

Nearly four months after four UI students were murdered near campus, the UI hosted a town hall event to address questions students commonly ask regarding safety measures.

The conversation touched on issues like outdoor lighting, security cameras and door locks. If students and community members have questions about these issues, the panel of speakers recommended they not hesitate to contact their landlords, city representatives or university officials to let them know about any problems that exist.

“Helping us out will ultimately help you out as well,” said Julie Kerr, assistant director of UI Housing Operations.

Recently, residents have shown more interest in installing doorbell cameras and other types of surveillance cameras at their residences in the interest of safety.

Kerr said the UI previously did not allow these devices at its on-campus apartments, but recently changed its policy to allow temporary approval of these cameras. They still are not allowed inside dormitories because of privacy concerns, she said.

Dan Schoenberg, owner of property management company Palouse Properties, said his company also recently added a new policy related to security cameras at its residences within the last few months. He said tenants can now get permission to install them and Palouse Properties will give them instructions on how to do so without damaging the building.

Schoenberg assured that only the tenant, not the landlord, has the right to access data stored on these security cameras.

However, this has led to neighbors voicing their concerns about invasions of privacy to Palouse Properties, he said. That is why Schoenberg encourages tenants to talk to their neighbors before installing these cameras because “being a good neighbor is really important in these communities.”

Cari Fealy, associate dean of students at the UI, said it is also important people talk to their roommates about safety before signing a lease together so that everyone in the household has the same expectations.

That includes the topic of locks. Moscow Police Capt. Tyson Berrett said locks are effective “but they don’t work if you don’t use them.”

Schoenberg said tenants are welcome to contact Palouse Properties with questions about installing or fixing locks. He encouraged using deadbolts as they are safer than other types of door locks. He also encouraged residents to use sticks to block sliding doors, which have locks that can be easy to defeat. Schoenberg said he will provide sticks himself if tenants want them.

Residents are encouraged to talk to city representatives, UI staff or landlords if they notice an outdoor light is not working. Feely said the UI conducts a lighting audit every October to assess the on-campus overhead lights.

Since the Nov. 13 deaths of UI students Kaylee Goncalves, Madison Mogen, Xana Kernodle and Ethan Chapin, there has been an increase in the number of people using the UI’s Safe Walk program, according to Jake Nichols, executive director of the UI Department of Public Safety and Security.

Safe Walk is a service that students, employees and visitors can use if they want security staff to escort them across campus. He also said the newly implemented Safe Ride program that gives people vehicle rides across campus is being utilized. The UI is tracking usership this semester, but will continue to offer this service no matter how many people use it.

Nichols said his department has not seen a significant increase in general security calls, but he noticed people are behaving more safely in recent months. For example, he notices students walking home in groups after leaving UI basketball games.

Nichols called Moscow a “wonderful community” and expressed optimism for the future in the wake of the recent tragedy.

“We’re going to come out of this stronger,” he said.

Kuipers can be reached at akuipers@dnews.com.