Baylor University Police Department to Host First National Night Out Event for Campus Community

#BUNightOut to promote campus safety and crime prevention

Media Contact: Tonya B. Lewis, 254-710-4656

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WACO, Texas (Sept. 28, 2016) –The Baylor University Police Department (BUPD) is hosting its first National Night Out event, #BUNightOut, for the Baylor residential community at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Oct. 4, 2016, on Fountain Mall.

National Night Out, an annual nationwide community-building campaign, was developed to promote police-community partnerships. The Baylor campus community will join other communities throughout Texas that evening to focus on building safer neighborhoods and developing relationships with local law enforcement. BUPD’s National Night Out event is catered to the Baylor residential community to promote overall campus safety and crime prevention.

“This event is an opportunity for the Baylor Family to come together and build a good foundation of safety measures to incorporate into their daily lives. As we gather and support one another, there will be information available on important topics such as alcohol awareness, texting and driving, bike safety and sexual assault awareness and prevention,” said Crime Prevention Officer Kandy Knowles, who helped organize the event.

“We wanted our students to educate themselves on these vital topics, but do it in a way that reinforces community. My primary focus was for the students to enjoy learning about safety, so of course, we wanted to make it fun. All who attend are essentially taking a stand against crime and all it entails, and we in the Department of Public Safety (DPS) want to support them in any way possible,” Knowles said.

National Night Out Schedule of Events:

• Residential Hall Block Parties and Competition: Residential hall communities will gather on Fountain Mall and showcase safety-themed exhibits judged on participation and originality.

• Sorority Bake-off: Sororities will have an opportunity to inform students about their philanthropy focuses as well as compete for a sought-after "Lula Jane's baking roller."

• Chief's Challenge: Attendees are encouraged to find Police Chief Brad Wigtil and take a selfie with him and post it to Instagram using the #BUNightOut hashtag. Those who participate will receive the coveted Baylor University DPS Challenge Coin.

• Fatal Vision Course: Participants will drive golf carts and attempt to navigate a course lined with traffic cones while wearing fatal vision goggles or “drunk goggles” to demonstrate the dangerous effects of drinking and driving. At the end of the course, participants will take two standardized field sobriety tests.

• Sky Watch Rides: Students will be able to ride up in the Sky Watch unit and learn about the camera system and enjoy an aerial view of campus.

• Dunking Booth: Students will have an opportunity to dunk BUPD officers and Parking Services staff.

• Bicycle Safety Checks: Bear Mountain will conduct safety checks on students’ bike hardware. BUPD will provide information on bike safety.

• Drink Detective: A vendor will provide cards that can detect if drinks have been compromised with drugs such as Rohypnol and GHB.

"National Night out is a great opportunity for the officers of the Baylor Police Department to interact and build relationships with our Baylor students,” said Police Chief Brad Wigtil. “We have several entertaining activities planned that will be fun for the participants and educational as well. I hope everyone is ready for the Chief’s Challenge."

Other activities include texting and driving information, a henna art booth, a photo booth, and an impaired obstacle course, where participants maneuver through an inflatable obstacle course while wearing “drunk goggles.”

Students can enjoy free hot dogs, chips, and Pepsi products as well as treats from Pokey O’s and Kona Ice.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked research institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 16,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 80 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.