Safehorns holds National Night Out event in West Campus to emphasize safety

AUSTIN, Texas - Tuesday night, people celebrated National Night Out across Austin. It’s an opportunity for neighbors to spend time together with police officers, firefighters, EMS medics, and code inspectors. 

Safehorns, a nonprofit committed to improving safety at The University of Texas, hosted their own event in West Campus.

The President of Safehorns said the goal of the event was to bring students from the community to resources to help keep them safe and meet the people who try to do just that.

"For the students here at UT, there's a lot that's gone on, there's a lot that's gone around," retired from Austin PD Alice Barrera Cobb said.

Cobb said she wants Texas students to be prepared for anything.

"A lot of people in general don't think it's going to happen to them, but you've got to think about the what if, what if it does? Are you prepared? What do you have?" Cobb said.

She taught students how to use protective devices like pepper spray, stun guns, alarms, and whistles at National Night Out in West Campus. A foundation for a Drug Free World, UT Night Rides, Longhorn EMS, and others also had presentations.

The President of Safehorns said the goal of the event was to bring students from the community to resources to help keep them safe and meet the people who try to do just that.

"Meeting them in a social setting is a fantastic way to connect and understand who they are and what concerned citizens have," Safehorns President Joell McNew said.

McNew said a big concern is safety.

"Students hear over and over again about, oh it's fine, this is just how it is in Austin, but never walk alone, only one ear bud, have pepper spray, be situationally aware, okay all of that is because you're not safe," McNew said.

Comparing January to now, and to the same time last year, the Austin Police Department Crime Search Map showed crime from the West Campus zip code is down. McNew said the data isn’t an accurate depiction of what’s going on.

"Whether the data is showing it or not, we know there's an ebb and flow of crime when police are present and when they're not," McNew said.

Tuesday night, people celebrated National Night Out across Austin. It’s an opportunity for neighbors to spend time together with police officers, firefighters, EMS medics, and code inspectors. 

She said the lack of police presence is another problem.

"Our biggest fear right now is it's not if, but when another student will be killed," McNew said.

McNew said Tuesday night was their sixth National Night Out and the first time they’ve had to hire private security. She said when they were setting up, they called police for two different incidents. McNew said something needs to change.