Personal Defense and Campus Safety Orientation: 10 a.m. Today

March 28, 2012

Is mace or pepper spray allowed on campus?

What do you do if you see something suspicious happening?

What are some good defense strategies?

Get answers to these questions and more at a special Personal Defense and Safety Orientation, 10-11:30 a.m. Wednesday, March 28 in the Fine Arts Hall at the Northwest campus. Attendance is open to faculty, staff and students.

"In a meeting Chief Book and I attended about a month ago, we were asked about these types of issues, and we thought it would be of interest to the campus community to offer a brief presentation on self defense," said Daryl Johnston, Director, Institute of Public Safety (IPS). "We are hoping, where possible, supervisors will allow staff to attend."

President Jackson Sasser will make brief comments followed by Police Chief Ed Book. General Counsel Patti Locascio will discuss the College's rule about weapons on campus. Afterward, IPS Defensive Tactics instructors will spend about 55 minutes demonstrating self-defense techniques. The orientation will end with Officer John Santos sharing about the RAD program offered at Santa Fe.

"This is a short crime prevention presentation with some actual demonstrations of very basic self-defense techniques," Johnston said. "We want to increase our campus community's awareness of their safety."

Expect a PowerPoint for part of the presentation followed by the instructors demonstrating techniques that will also be projected on the Fine Arts Hall's big screen.

"We hope anyone who is interested in learning more will follow up and take a RAD course or a more detailed self-defense course," Johnston said.

This effort is part of CampusWatch, and is just one aspect of a Safe Santa Fe.

For more information about the orientation, please call the Santa Fe College Police Department at 352-395-5519.