Mike Miezejeski/Connor Smith

Contributing Writers

An informal survey taken by almost 400 Keene State College students, faculty and staff members showed that eight out of ten people who took the survey indicated that Keene State Campus Safety has a positive influence on campus.

Although the number of officers has been down recently, Assistant Director of Campus Safety Leonard Crossman said that could be a positive. He said, “The fact that Campus safety is doing a good job even though the number of officers are down.”

Leonard Crossman added that Campus Safety has been down a few officers for a long time now but the ones they have recently hired have many years of experience. One spent 20 years in the New York City Police Department, and another officer had ten years of experience in law enforcement in Pennsylvania.

Campus Safety is still looking for more officers. But according to the survey, 62 percent of students do not want more of a presence from Campus Safety. According to the survey, most people around campus say that Campus Safety has a positive influence even though it is not fully staffed.

One of the reasons Campus Safety has been down officers recently is that they are leaving for other job opportunities. College employees are given a free education, which Crossman said is why it makes sense that they would then leave to further their careers.

A second informal survey of 60 students was taken after the terrorist attacks in Paris asking the same question if they feel safe on campus. Surprisingly, 94 percent of people in the new survey said they do feel safe on campus.