The Anderson Student Center has attracted many visitors in the spring semester’s opening week, but Public Safety will not be adding additional security to monitor the building.

Michael Barrett, associate director of Public Safety, said the university will not be funding extra officers.

“It’s a big space. As with anywhere else, we will rely on the community to help us,” Barrett said. “The student center has a lot of building managers.”

Barrett said that Public Safety trained the managers to respond to problems and to handle other safety procedures.

Even though the student center is open to anyone in the St. Thomas community, Barrett does not think students need to be worried for their safety because there are “more eyes and ears” to notice something wrong.

“Because it’s staffed, there will always be someone in the building,” Barrett said. “If more people are in a building, we focus less on it.”

Sophomore Scott Fusco agrees with Barrett but disagrees that the amount of people occupying the space will make it seem safer.

“It’s also easier to steal something,” Fusco said. “If there’s more people, it’s way easier to duck in the crowd and get out. No one’s going to see anything.”

The most common crime at St. Thomas, after underage alcohol consumption, is theft because students can be too trusting, Barrett said.

Sophomore Rachel Murray is one student that is trusting of others when it comes to her personal property.

“In the library, I’ll have my laptop and my phone, and I’ll just leave and go to the bathroom,” Murray said. “I just leave it there. I feel like it’s pretty safe…I would probably do that at the student center.”

Patrol status of Murray-Herrick

Even with the reduced use of the Murray-Herrick Campus Center, Public Safety will not change the way the building is patrolled.

Barrett said that a minimum of three Public Safety officers patrol the St. Paul campus per shift. During the weekend, as many as six officers are stationed across the campus.

Each officer goes through the building in his or her assigned area at least once per shift. If there’s a threat, more officers will patrol the area.

“Life comes first, then property,” Barrett said.

He also said that officers will focus on dorms more than buildings that do not house students.

Rita Kovtun can be reached at kovt1547@stthomas.edu.