The Longwood University Po- lice Department is now providing the university with two new programs: “See Something, Say Something” and "Coffee with the Chief."
According to the Homeland Security website, “See Something, Say Something” is a nationwide campaign that raises public awareness of terrorism and terrorism- related crime.
The campaign originated from New York City in 2010 after terrorism-related crime took place in Times Square.
The campaign was launched in July by the Department of Homeland Security. It is known as a simple but effective program that informs the pubic on how to be alert.
Chief of the Longwood Police Department Bob Beach stated, “The program was trying to get people who saw something unusual to immediately notify public officials, as opposed to procrastinating or waiting too long. That program spiraled up into the whole area of public safety and personal responsibility for public safety.”
Beach added, “Homeland Security picked up that program after the New York City Police Department called it ‘See Something, Say Something.’”
Chief Beach talked about how the Longwood Police Department started working with Homeland Security early in the summer and how he feels the program is beginning to take shape here at Longwood.
Beach stated, “There has been one delay after another at the federal level, and it has not rolled it out the way we would have liked. They were supposed to provide us with public information, public displays of public service announcements and so forth, but they haven’t showed up yet.”
Delays or not, Beach indicated that the Longwood Police Department is still trying to get the word out about the program and is trying to convince the Longwood community that if they see something, they should say something. Beach mentioned, “It is having some effect. We had some students over in Lancer Park who saw some guys acting kind of strange around one of the bicycle racks. They called the police, and we went over there and found some local guys, and we sent them on their way and everyone’s bikes were safe.”
Beach discussed two of the principles the program is built on.
He stated, “One is having more eyes, being more observant and using rational skills to see some- thing and say ‘That doesn’t look right.’”
“The second principle is based on the fact [that] we all need to understand we have a certain level of responsibility and need to be alert and pay attention to the conditions that surround us. We also have a responsibility to keep ourselves aware about certain situations in our community that could be dangerous to us or others,” Beach said.
Beach stated, “‘See Something, Say Something’ is a very sound program, and I think it is one the community will continue to hear a lot of information [about] from us.”
The Longwood Police Department has another new program called "Coffee with the Chief". The new program will be held every second Tuesday of the month at Java City.
Beach stated, “It is important we deal with the individual, and that’s the whole purpose of 'Cof- fee with the Chief'. It gives people who have an individual issue a chance to express it, and it gives me an opportunity to try and help them solve that issue.”
Beach added, “We’re trying to make sure we’re continuing our effort to expand what we do in a reasonable way in the continual process of just trying to be better.”
For more information on the two programs or the police depart- ment in general, contact Beach at (434) 395-2092 or send him an email at beachrr@longwood.edu.
