How prepared is UA in the event of an emergency?

Following the attacks in Brussels – where at least 34 people died and many more were injured – there are questions circling regarding how prepared law enforcement in the United States (particularly in Alabama) is.

Though the University of Alabama is not a capital city with open public transportation infrastructure, it is a large state school with a significant footprint. As a result, some students are skeptical about the level of protection they have in Tuscaloosa.

Marissa Lee, a UA sophomore, said she feels safe at home in Trussville, Alabama, but thinks the school could do more to keep students in the loop when it comes to emergencies.

“I’m not sure UA or any school could be prepared for an attack like what happened in Brussels,” Marissa said.

Chris Bryant, UA’s interim director of media relations, would not go into detail about what measures would be taken in an emergency due to obvious security concerns, but made it clear the school is prepared for the worst.

He said: “UA is prepared to respond to any situation that impacts our campus.”

Douglas Klutz, a Criminal Justice professor, went through training when he was hired. This training is mandatory for every faculty member at the university.

“We receive training when we start at the university for various security situations,” he said. “Also, we receive newsletters and monthly updates on different security topics, as well as completing some annual security training online.”

In September 2014, messages threatening students in Greek life were posted to social media. During those few days, many students took to Twitter to get information and in return got inaccurate information. As a result, many students like Marissa think the school and UAPD could help in emergency situations by making information available as soon as they have it.

“I do think they could improve safety by keeping students in the loop of safety precautions and informed about what’s happening,” she said.

Others feel if the school provided a higher police presence, campus would feel more safe.

“Although I don’t feel in danger necessarily, I’m not completely sure that I feel safe,” UA sophomore, Kassidy Harvey said. “Perhaps if the university had a higher police presence, I would feel safer.”

It’s nearly impossible to be completely prepared for something like what happened in Brussels, and both Marissa and Kassidy admit the university is doing all they can in most cases.

“This school has never experienced a terrorist attack, so I feel there is no way to ever be fully prepared for an event like that,” Marissa said.

The university now has a team in charge of taking care of any situation like the threatening messages sent in 2014.

“The Threat Assessment Team is comprised of individuals who have years of experience in advanced law enforcement settings,” Professor Klutz said. “They are in charge of handling any really serious issues on campus.”

With more states passing legislation allowing guns on college campuses in an effort to step up security, he believes the conversation will come to Alabama.

For now, the state of Alabama is one where schools themselves decide their weapons policy, but that could change in the future, altering the way security is achieved at UA.

“Concealed carry on college campuses is a growing topic in many states across the country now,” Professor Klutz said. “I think the state of Alabama will be addressing this topic within the next couple of years.”