Remain vigilant against Corvallis creeper

There is a creeper prowling the streets of Corvallis and attacking women at our university.

The menace of violence is now a possibility on the quaint tree-lined streets of OSU, and we know both students and staff are now a little more afraid when they trek out into the darkness.

While we know the Corvallis Police Department and other law enforcement agencies in our city are doing their best to bring the attacker to justice, we as a community also need to do our part to remain vigilant and protect our own.

We encourage students and staff to do what they can to keep each other safe and to take advantage of the services available to them on campus.

Avoid walking home by yourself late at night. Walk with a group of friends and make sure you are aware of your surroundings and know where you are.

If you must walk by yourself, call a friend to let them know you are leaving, the route you are taking, and when you expect to arrive. In the case you don’t arrive where you are supposed to, at least someone will know to call the police for you and the police will have somewhere to begin their search.

Avoid walking down dark side streets and stick to main, well-lit streets instead. Carry a flashlight and a cell phone with you, and if you are on campus, be aware of where the blue light emergency stations are as you walk. You should also not walk with headphones in and music blaring — an attacker can take advantage of the fact that you can’t hear him or her approaching.

Also, if you see someone suspicious, or someone doing something suspicious, or if someone is following you, call the police immediately. We’re sure the police would much rather deal with a false alarm than have yet another victim of an attack. It’s better to err on the side of caution than to have something awful happen.

Students and staff should also take advantage of the SafeRide program that offers free rides from campus to their homes. The program runs from 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. and those wishing to ride must have a school issued ID with them. SafeRide can be contacted for a ride by calling their office at 541-737-5000.

Students and staff can also call the Department of Public Safety to get an escort from a campus building to their car or residence hall. This service is also free and the department can be reached at 541-737-3010.

We hope the attacker is arrested soon and that this creeper attacks no one else. In the mean time, we need to take care of each other, remain vigilant and remain safe.


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