Rutgers University has begun a pilot program that allows students to text university police for assistance.
The new messaging strategy, which an increasing amount of universities are using, comes as studies reveal most people prefer text messaging to making phone calls, according to nj.com.
Students can text a message to campus police on patrol by typing “RUNB” to 69050. The program was created by a team of university police and students earlier in the school year.
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Many schools have adopted mobile safety apps for students, but Rutgers police believe they’re one of the first departments to use a campus-wide text messaging security system.
The messaging system is predominantly used for non-emergency messages like escort requests and weather-related situations.
“The beauty of this system is, you can text message pictures (and) instant information that can be broadcast to our personnel on the road,” Rutgers Police Chief Kenneth Cop said.
The system cost $14,000 to implement, with funds coming from the student body and several university organizations.
Rutgers students have been the victims of robberies and assaults in recent weeks on the school’s New Brunswick campus. The system hasn’t been implemented on the school’s Newark and Camden campuses yet.
