Thousands of new and returning students will arrive in Halifax this weekend, set to start a new year of classes and, in some cases, a new chapter in their lives.
As in years past, Dalhousie will be working closely with community partners — including Halifax Regional Police (HRP) — in the coming days and weeks to ensure the transition is as safe and smooth as possible for all.
A designated police patrol
Starting September 2, Dal will join other universities in Halifax's south end in welcoming the launch of Operation Fall Back — an annual HRP-run initiative that includes high-visibility patrols in nearby residential areas during the first full week of the term and on Thursday, Friday and Saturday nights throughout the month of September.
First launched in 2004 to address community concerns, the patrol focuses on known-complaint areas and uses direct enforcement (mainly through issuing tickets) as a way to help reduce noise complaints, vandalism and alcohol-related incidents. The patrol responds to calls from students and community members alike.
“Fall Back is a robust campaign that allows us to collaborate with Dal and other partners in a nimble way to meet the emerging needs of the community during this busy time of year,” says Constable Robin Sherwood, community liaison officer for Halifax's south end.
Then, later in the fall, Dalhousie provides financial support to keep the patrol up and running in designated neighbourhoods around its campuses. The Dalhousie Police Patrol runs throughout October (Thursday – Saturday) and November (Friday and Saturday) and on select dates during the winter term (Munro Day, St. Patrick’s Day, etc).
A new outreach office
This fall, Dalhousie Community Engagement and Security Services will also open a new Community Outreach Office as a further service to keep campus and the surrounding neighbourhood vibrant and safe. Located in a high-traffic spot in the Life Science Centre on Studley Campus (room 204), the office will provide students, faculty, staff and neighbours with access to resources and services from Dal and community partners, including HRP.
The outreach team will work collaboratively to respond to concerns and inquiries from the community and to help individuals navigate university and partner resources. To make an appointment, call the office at 902-494-1785. The office will not be staffed on a 24-hour basis, so urgent inquiries should continue to be directed to Dal Security Services or HRP.
“This will help us to build even stronger relationships both on campus and with the broader community,” says Jake MacIsaac, assistant director of Dal Security Services, a key partner in the project.
Staying connected, staying safe
Dal offers a number mobile security services to members of the university community as well, including Dal Alert — an integrated messaging service. Students and staff are encouraged to sign up for the service, which enables the university to send important information in a timely way in the event of significant campus closures (due to severe weather, for example), campus hazards (spills or fires, for example), and other unforeseen events. All members of the Dal community receive email alerts, but subscribers can also opt in to receive information by text message.
DalSafe is a free smartphone app that makes it simple to contact Dal's security team by providing simple push-button phone access to all of its different services (emergency line, night-time Tiger Patrol shuttle) in one portal. The app also features GPS-enabled maps of all Dal campuses, a voluntary push-notification service, and other important security tips and information on how to respond to threats or critical incidents.
“Our goal is to be as accessible as possible in as many ways as possible to members of our community,” says MacIsaac.