Education
Texas Tech police highlight safety technology - fox34.com
Texas Tech University Police are spotlighting the blue light emergency phone system on campus as students return for the fall semester, with increased traffic already hitting 19th Street and Highway 114 toward Levelland. The surge on the roads came Monday as Texas Tech, Lubbock Christian University, and South Plains College all kicked off their fall terms the same day.
The surge on the roads came Monday as Texas Tech, Lubbock Christian University, and South Plains College all kicked off their fall terms the same day. Drivers heading west on Highway 114 toward Levelland felt it, and anyone cutting through 19th Street near campus did too.
Caitlyn Jeffries with the Texas Tech Police Department used the moment to remind students what's available if something goes wrong. The blue light emergency phones scattered across campus let a student walk up, press a button, and get connected instantly to dispatch. A GPS locator also transmits their position the moment they make contact, so officers know exactly where to go without the student having to figure out their location under pressure. Jeffries added that her department wants to do more than respond to emergencies, and that officers see themselves as people first, not just a badge on campus.
For students new to the area, or anyone who never paid much attention to those blue poles, now is a good time to notice where they are. Three different colleges sending students back on the same Monday means a lot of people are navigating unfamiliar places all at once.
Common questions
What are the blue light emergency phones on the Texas Tech campus?
- The blue light emergency phones are call stations scattered across the Texas Tech campus. A student can walk up, press a button, and get connected directly to dispatch. The phones also send a GPS location so officers know exactly where the caller is standing.
Why is traffic so bad on 19th Street and Highway 114 right now?
- Texas Tech University, Lubbock Christian University, and South Plains College all started their fall semesters on the same day, flooding local roads at once. Drivers heading west on Highway 114 toward Levelland and anyone cutting through 19th Street near campus felt the surge.
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