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Night
Watch (Escort Service) Still Around
October
17, 2003
Despite
recent media reports, the Night Watch, formerly known as the Escort
Service, is still very much in operation. “We have provided escorts for
over 280 students since the start of Fall Semester,” Officer Jill
Goldberg said. “Rumors of our demise have been greatly overstated.”
The
UT Student Escort Service was started in the late 1980s, and was run by
Student Government until 1996, when administration of the program was
assigned to the University Police Department.
The
name was changed from Escort Service to Night Watch in 2000, because “we
didn’t want any confusion as to what type of service our employees
provided,” Officer Goldberg said with a chuckle.
Assigned
to the Community Affairs Office, one of Goldberg’s responsibilities is
to supervise the student-staffed Night Watch program. “We employ 19
students, and provide service at both the Bancroft and Scott Park
Campuses,” she explained.
“All
of our employees undergo background checks prior to being hired,” she
explained. The Night Watch crew also wears special blue jackets
identifying themselves as Night Watch staff, and carry two-way radios for
instantaneous communications with the University Police dispatcher.
Night
Watch had been based in Carlson Library when it first started, and the
number and location of various satellite offices has changed from year to
year to meet the changing demands of the campus community. The service has
had tables at the Student Recreation Center, the Student Union, Carlson
Library, Nitschke Hall, Rocket Hall, the Scott Park concourse, and various
residence halls over the years.
In
response to the University’s decision to warehouse freshman cars at
Scott Park, and a lack of adequate office space on the Bancroft Campus,
the Night Watch formally moved its main office to the Non-Academic
Services building, which is immediately adjacent to Lot 21 on the western
edge of the Scott Park campus.
“We
predicted the main source of requests would come from students going to,
or coming from, Lot 21, so we decided to relocate the main office to meet
that demand,” Goldberg said. “In no way did we cease service anywhere
on campus.”
In
fact, the Night Watch also operates tables at both the Carlson Library
Circulation Desk and Nitschke Hall, from 7 p.m. to midnight. The Scott
Park office is open from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m.
In
addition to a new office, Night Watch also received funding to purchase a
new vehicle to replace one of their aging sedans. They took delivery of a
new eight passenger 2003 Ford E150 van in September and an old UT Police
car in August, and have been using both for escorts ever since.
The
Student Activities Committee provided supplemental funding in 2002,
allowing the Night Watch to purchase new radios.
“We
have a good crew, we have a good vehicle, and we have good equipment,”
Goldberg said. “We are very much in operation.”
The
Night Watch can be reached by dialing 4292 from any campus phone, or
419-530-4292. The escort team will meet the caller at any residence hall
or UT building. It is normally in operation from 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. seven
days a week when school is in session.
Their
hours for Fall Break have been curtailed. The service will be available
from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. Friday, October 17, but there will be no service
Saturday, Sunday, or Monday, October 18, 19, and 20, respectively. Service
will resume as normal on Tuesday, October 22. |
