Community Advisory: Be Aware of Your Surroundings

Dear members of the Emerson community,

I’m writing today to share a reminder to our community that as you move about the city, particularly after sunset, which is earlier in the evening this time of year, please be vigilant regarding your surroundings and safety.  As most people are aware, downtown businesses have not recovered to pre-pandemic levels, resulting in less active pedestrian traffic utilizing public spaces such as the Common and the Public Garden, than there normally would be. With fewer people around, we want our community to be more alert.

In recent months, we have noticed an uptick in robberies within the city, including an incident over this past weekend involving Emerson students who were victims of a robbery by a group of assailants. While there does not appear to be any specific trend associated with the uptick in incidents, we do believe these are crimes of opportunity that occur in secluded areas where the assailants can escape detection.

In order to ensure the continued safety of our community members, we are providing a list of suggestions to consider as you move about the city during this time.

●      Be aware of your surroundings, and be alert to who is near you.

●      When walking, stay in well-lit areas and walk in numbers, if possible.

●      When walking, keep to commonly traveled routes.

●      Avoid all shortcuts and isolated areas.

●      Do not take out a wallet on the street, if asked for money.

●      Be aware that some may use scams or stories to seek your sympathy.

●      Remember, if you are approached by anyone attempting to rob you, quickly give them your valuables, get to a safe location, and call ECPD (617-824-8888) or Boston Police (911) immediately.

●      Trust your instincts and use common sense. If something feels wrong, more often than not, your instincts will be correct.

In addition, the Emerson College Police Department would like to remind you that the department provides safety escorts to members of the community 24-hours a day, seven days a week upon request. This service provides students, faculty, and staff with a walking or motor vehicle escort between locations on campus, as well as to the Park Street MBTA Station, to the Washington Street MBTA Station, the Arlington Street MBTA Station, and points in between.

Additional community safety resources are available for students and members of the community from the ECPD online.

We hope this information will be helpful to you.

Sincerely,
Robert Smith, Chief
Emerson College Police Department