Over the past few weeks, the Citizen App sent out several safety alerts regarding people with weapons on the campus streets, reports of objects stolen and fires either in campus buildings or across the streets. 

In the past week, the notifications became a big deal to students in the University’s area. A recent report was put out on Citizen of a man brandishing a knife near one of the campus buildings. There is no information about the identity of the displayer nor a photo identification of the suspect; the only evidence that was published was a police recording on the Citizen App. A second report that Citizen put out last week was a report of a stolen wallet between William and Fulton Streets by the subway station. Another report was put out two weeks ago stating that there was a fire in a high-rise building on Beekman Street, leaving one person injured. There has been no particular motive as to why there is a rise in crime in the University’s area. There is no information about whether students are responsible for these incidents, nor do these notifications promote any vigilantism; instead, they promote public safety.  

There have been more incidents than those examples. University students who live on campus, as well as commuters and professors going to and from their destinations, should be mindful of their surroundings. 

Students have also noticed that there has been a police presence in the nearby area, which is likely an idea to lower the crime and incident rates. Holly Sateika, a senior studying Criminal Justice, shared her thoughts on the issue, “Campus security is constantly on the watch for our safety whether on foot or in the lobbies of each of the campus buildings. There is also the police plaza across the street that provides a presence that could lower the rates of incidents, but still, we as students should check Citizen whenever they get the chance, especially at night.”

Students who dorm on campus feel like Citizen helps them keep up to date with community events, yet for those who dorm on campus, there is worry among the community. Sarah Gold, a film and screen studies major and a student who lives on campus, stated, “Knowing that too much is happening makes me paranoid, but with the information, I can help send info out to my friends and make them feel safe.”

Citizen has been a way for students to check for alerts of crime on campus and in the nearby area to keep students and locals safe. The Mayor, Eric Adams, has not made a statement about the rise of crime in the Financial District. If so, we at The Pace Press urge students to check the Citizen App for any more reports in the following weeks and remember that if you see any suspicious activity, please report it to campus security or the New York Police Department.