TROY, Ala. (TROJANVISION) — As students begin the fall semester, campus police are reminding everyone that safety starts with awareness 

Whether it’s walking alone after a late night study session or heading home home from an evening out, university police say students have several resources available. 

“We have a couple resources with the police department,” Troy University Police Chief George Beaudry said. “We have an escort; if a student is alone and say they’re at the library until late at night and they just don’t feel comfortable walking back to their dorm we will send an officer over there.

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“The officer will walk with them to wherever they need to go on campus.”

The department also encourages students to make smart choices by locking their vehicles, staying aware of their surroundings and avoiding walking alone at night whenever possible.

For students who find themselves unable to drive home safely, officers say there’s another option. 

“We also have a program called Choose Your Ride,” said Beaudry. “It’s designed for when students get out and about, say they go out to parties so they go to a bar, we don’t want them to drive so, we say call us. As long as you call us first, we’re gonna come, we’re gonna pick you up and we’re gonna get you safely home.”

Students can also use the Omnilert safety app to receive emergency alerts and important campus safety information directly on their phones.

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The app offer features such as a panic button to quickly alert first responders, tip reporting, access to campus safety resources such as maps and evacuation plans and safe walk, which lets users share a time while sharing their location. University police say these resources can help make Troy‘s campus safer for everyone