North Texas Daily

Between 100 and 150 students attended and participated in the first annual UNT Safety Fair, presented by the UNT Police Department, on Wednesday at the Union south lawn.

Organizations involved during the fair included UNT Police Department, UNT Transportation Services, UNT Emergency Management, UNT Health and Wellness Center, UNT Survivor Advocates, Texas department of Transportation and Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission. The organizations worked together to bring awareness to the resources that are available to students.

“We do a lot of events throughout the year,” Chris Deaton, a lieutenant in the administrative division of the UNT Police Department said. “We work with different people on campus, but this is the first time we brought all of these people together in one place. It’s really just a way to bring out everybody to show the students and community some of the resources everybody has to offer.”

The fair featured several interactive activities for students to participate in.

UNT Police brought one of their police dogs for students to meet, engraved students’ bike locks, had risk management training, fire extinguisher training and Automated External Difibrillator training.

Jordan Pinchard, a mechanical engineering major, put on the worst impaired level option available with the drunk goggles. Isabel Anes

They also had goggles at the event that let students experience what thier vision is like while intoxicated. 

The UNT Transportation Services hosted tables with information on services they provide for students.

“What we are focusing on today is E-ride and bike safety,” said Trista Moxley, senior communication specialist for Transportation Services. “Obviously when they are riding around campus, we want them to be safe. We want them to be using the appropriate measures to stay safe. E-ride is the night service that we do to help keep [students] safe in the evening. [We are here] to give awareness of the options.”

Broadcast journalism freshman Christina Liles found the safety fair while leaving the Union after a class. During the fair, Liles discovered resources she said she did not know were available.

“Driving is the main thing,” Liles said. “Whenever I go out, that is my main concern for safety—do I have a ride home? Are my friends okay? Do I need to call an Uber? I honestly didn’t know about [the E-ride]. It feels good knowing I pretty much have a free Uber. I know the school has my back and that’s nice. I think more people should know about it because it might save some lives.”

After hearing about the event through her roommate, sophomore Amanda Bosse decided to stop by and utilize the engraving and free bike lock from the UNT police.

“My roommate texted me because she knew I’m a biker,” Bosse said. “I wanted to do it because I bought a bike lock but with all the rain, the key wasn’t working anymore. They said we had free U-locks, and I was like, ‘I definitely need that.’ So I came over here, and they [engraved] my drivers license number so if it gets stolen, I can file a report.”

Senior Stephanie Memecek was on her way to class when the fair piqued her interest.

“[An officer] took me through a sobriety test,” Memecek said. “The goggles are supposed to represent different levels of intoxication. The moment I put them on I couldn’t even see straight, so that alone was a different experience. I don’t really drink, but just knowing that a small amount of alcohol in your body really doesn’t help at all was a really big eye opener.” 

More information on the safety services offered and provided on campus can be found at https://police.unt.edu/safety.

Featured Image: K9 Keegan, a new addition to the police department, receives attention from a UNT student during the UNT Police Department Safety Fair. Isabel Anes