In light of all of the school shootings nationwide and some car thefts on our campus, it raises an important question: Is Bakersfield College safe?

Every semester, there are some cars thefts and break-ins, but that seems to be the extent of most serious crimes at BC. Thankfully, there haven’t been any shootings. So it seems safety isn’t really something we need to worry about. That is exactly why we need to worry about it. The popular phrase “expect the unexpected” is a good motto to follow.

We are aware there are drills for certain situations, but as students, we aren’t aware of what they are for dealing with a gunman on campus.

That’s something that every student should be aware of. How about the fact that the free parking area doesn’t have any lights, and it’s super creepy? It’s impossible to see anything and those who park there feel like characters from a horror movie walking around with arms extended, jumping at every little noise. But it’s not fair to rest school safety with administration and Public Safety  alone. It also involves the 15,000 students as well.

For starters, students need to be aware of their surroundings. If anything looks out ofplace or someone appears to be suspicious, we need to act on those feelings by calling for help or reporting it to Public Safety. Students should try to park in well-lit areas, lock everything up and put bags in the trunk. It’s better to be overcautious than have a broken window or a stolen car.

If everyone helps out with reporting suspicious behavior and knows what to do in dangerous situations and who to report to, we’ll have a safer school.  Every little bit counts.  Just because BC is mostly safe place doesn’t mean we should let our guard down.