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Safety Campus Announcement

Norfolk State University

Memorandum: Safety Campus Announcement

The safety of our community has been and remains a priority that requires continuous and ongoing attention. Our nation, and more specifically, the HBCU community, has suffered from threats to our safety, loss of life, and damage to our environmental security. In the wake of these occurrences, we have remained vigilant and responded in ways that show our resilience and commitment to educating our students, despite the challenges.  

Since 2021, we have enhanced safety measures, including the establishment of the President’s Safety Task Force, acquiring ShotSpotter (gunshot detection technology), increasing the number of sworn police officers on staff, and reconstructing Gates #1 and #8, which included the installation of security cameras. We write today to share with you some additional safety enhancements that will be initiated this semester and shared with the campus community over the next few weeks through campus announcements and social media. 

Over the next two weeks, the following will be completed: 

  • Conduct Walking beats between the Norfolk State Police Department (NSUPD) and the City of Norfolk Police Department (NPD) in the Corprew Ave. and Majestic Ave. area. 
  • Provide training for security staff on how to direct students during shelter-in-place orders. 
  • Offer Fall safety training by Mike Wallace, NSU Emergency Manager. 
  • Conduct a Safety Walk to heighten awareness of safety protocols on campus. 
  • Place mobile police cameras in the Spartan Suites parking lot. 
  • Engage a parking consultant to give recommendations for immediate solutions to Lot 14 and how Spartan Suites students can park closer to the building for better safety.   
  • Install one-way parking spikes at Gate 5 so cars cannot enter the campus from that direction.  

In addition, a safety information campaign will begin reminding the campus community of safety resources such as the walking escorts available through NSUPD, the shuttle tracking app, and how to report safety concerns directly and anonymously.   

Some longer-term solutions that are being initiated include the addition of recess gates in the Spartan Suites parking lots, technology and protocol reviews to improve screening of vehicles entering the gates on campus, adding more sworn officers to the NSUPD, the completion of the parking study initiated last spring, and the construction of fencing around the perimeter of the campus. 

We want to thank SGA President Zay’Kori Jones and the group of student leaders who met with us to share concerns and work towards solutions to those concerns. This collaboration demonstrates our community is stronger when we work together. We will work together to establish a Student Safety Committee that continually evolves strategies and solutions to keep our community as safe as possible.