Although campus police and University security constitutes most of UNM's safety force, there is a small group of students standing ready to do their part to make the community safe.
That group is the UNM Student Patrol and this is its eighth year of working to provide late-night escorts and lending a hand to assist UNM police and campus security.
"That's our focus; walking escorts," said Wes Hurley, a UNM senior and supervisor at Student Patrol. "I've always felt most bad things happen when people put themselves in bad positions."
The 17-member patrol group, composed entirely of students, operates Monday through Saturday, from 7 p.m. to midnight. Hurley said the students, who patrol select areas of campus in pairs, most often escort students to and from locations near dormitories and Zimmerman Library.
Carrying radios and flashlights, patrollers can be recognized this year by their new, royal blue polo shirts with Student Patrol imprinted on the back.
"So far this year, escorts have been up," Hurley said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
This semester the number of escorts is between six and eight each night. Last year, it was between two and four, Hurley said.
Student Patrol will escort anyone walking on the main and north campuses. Hurley said patrollers do not travel to distant parking lots such as South Lot or G Lot.
But Student Patrol plays more of a role than just a campus escort service. Hurley said patrollers check campus emergency phones, help secure buildings, establish a security presence and assist UNM police by keeping an eye on the campus interior.
"We don't really target criminal activity," Hurley said. "During my years here, Student Patrol has never had a physical confrontation."
This is Hurley's fourth year with the service.
According to the Student Patrol manual, patrollers are only allowed to become involved in a physical confrontation if a police officer is in trouble and has no police support, someone else is in serious trouble or if a team member or partner is in serious danger.
UNM Police Department Lt. Tish D'Arcy is the swing-shift lieutenant who coordinates police efforts with Student Patrol supervisors.
"They're our eyes and ears," D'Arcy said. "If they see something that might seem serious, they alert us. But we really stress their safety first."
Student Patrol began as a component of the University police force meant to help watch the campus. Today, it has an annual budget of $38,500 that comes entirely from UNMPD, D'Arcy said.
"Student Patrol really attracts the kind of people who want to help other students," D'Arcy said.
That budget pays for equipment, uniforms and salaries of the 15 patrollers and two supervisors.
In addition to the monetary support, UNMPD is looking for a minority student who will take part in a mentoring program with UNM police Cmdr. James Daniels and UNM Vice President for Student Affairs, Eliseo Torres. The mentoring program aims at teaching the student important campus, as well as law enforcement, information and background.
Although their roles and responsibilities are limited, Hurley said the work done by Student Patrol is vital to one of UNM's most important populations - students.
"I feel we are more approachable than a uniformed officer or a uniformed security guard."
Campus residents, students, faculty and staff can call Student Patrol at 277-SAFE for an escort.
