Collegian file photo.
MARISA MILLER | MANAGING EDITOR | mnmille1@butler.edu
The Butler University Police Department sent out a tweet late Oct. 1, that created concern throughout the Butler community.
BUPD responded to an incident on Oct. 1 when a student reported a car slowly driving by while she was walking to her sorority house. The car turned out to be an UberEats delivery driver.
BUPD posted a tweet about the incident with an attached photo stating, “Keep Calm and Carry On.”
9:46 p.m. a Student reported running from a car that followed
her from Atherton to her sorority (no verbal contact). Within 2-3 mins of the call, Officers located the vehicle based on the license plate. The driver was working for a delivery service, bringing food to a student. pic.twitter.com/5RwUz8lOE2— Butler University Police Department (@ButlerUpolice) October 2, 2018
BUPD Chief John Conley said the late shift sergeant’s intention with the tweet was not to be negative, but to update students of the event.
“The intention there was to get something for somebody to stop and look at it,” Conley said. “[With] the term ‘Keep Calm and Carry On,’ all he meant by that was carry on doing what you are doing. If you see something, call us. You call people, we respond, we stop people and check them out. So it wasn’t meant in a belittling way or to be insensitive.”
The attached photo was added to the tweet so that students would be more apt to see the information within the tweet, Conley said.
“It’s frustrating because I understand the issues that students are having over suspicious people,” Conley said. “We’ve been trying to address it and trying to figure out ways to communicate information out and get it out, so that the students aren’t left in the dark as to what is going on.”
Conley said communication has been something BUPD is continuing to work on. In a recent town hall meeting hosted by the Student Government Association, Conley said BUPD would try to be more active on social media in order to keep students informed.
BUPD also responded to their own tweet late in the afternoon of Oct. 2 in response to student concerns regarding the post.
Thank you for feedback and we hear what you are saying. Our intent was to depict that this situation was reported and addressed. We had no intention to make light of the situation in any way. We are grateful that our students are staying aware of their surroundings.
— Butler University Police Department (@ButlerUpolice) October 2, 2018
Students and parents were quick to respond on the night of Oct. 1 and throughout the day on Oct. 2, mostly through quoting BUPD’s original tweet.
@ButlerVPSA is this an appropriate response to a student concern? https://t.co/CTQQmwEaRH
— Bay (@bayleejohnson_) October 2, 2018
As a parent of a Butler Student I think that is an offense statement to convey to the students given the fact that there has been questionable activity on campus. The students are obviously concerned and need to remain vigilant for their own safety and the safety of the campus.
— Dee (@dee_beckman) October 2, 2018
Glad to see we’re poking fun at a girl who must have legitimately felt unsafe on this campus
— Rachel Ramey (@rachel_ramey32) October 2, 2018
I would’ve done the same thing. That’s the reality of being a woman, constantly feeling paranoid and unsafe. Glad to know that’s a joke to our police department https://t.co/rxf9U9xmHf
— Baelor (@thammond1124) October 2, 2018
How about you praise the girl for being aware of her surroundings. With everything going on in the world, girls on campus walking alone at night cannot just “keep calm” ?
— mel ♡ (@Melanie9382) October 2, 2018
so you think making fun of someone who felt unsafe is a better idea than…..I don’t know…….trying to make sure your students feel safe on campus? https://t.co/5TpVMjM7LJ
— carly (@ylrac) October 2, 2018
The fact that a student even FELT unsafe walking home at 9:46pm speaks volumes to how horribly y’all are doing your jobs. Focus on being better as opposed to tweeting with the intention of mocking/down playing the level of fear young women have on this campus. Boy BYE https://t.co/vNm1DDoHW5
— silly jo (@sh3lbyj0) October 2, 2018
You’re an embarrassment https://t.co/E4NpUOnVeK
— Megan Richardson (@MegRichardson__) October 2, 2018
Y’all know how much of a concern safety is for women, not just on Butler’s campus, but literally everywhere else, so why would you think it’s appropriate to ridicule one of the few women who chose to call for help? This does nothing to make butler safer, which is your whole job. https://t.co/s6mDNkYEYC
— secret honky tonk (@fullthrottlegay) October 2, 2018
Idk why people are mad by this like it was a very prevalent rumor on campus and people were scared they were going to get assaulted by this same person it was necessary to tell the public what actually happened?? They aren’t making fun of her and she did the right thing!! https://t.co/pq80puueJa
— ???? (@m_schro97) October 2, 2018
Liberal college=everyone is complains about this tweet. Absurd https://t.co/LLlAeACXy5
— PaytonNicoleWaltz? (@paytnicole18) October 2, 2018
The one time u actually update students with information regarding legitimate safety concerns, u do it with sarcasm intended to undermine this student’s worry & TRUST in u. Class act https://t.co/clBzWpcIuS
— paige (@paaigebragg) October 2, 2018
I almost pepper sprayed my dad last night because he pulled up next to me in a van and I felt like I needed to protect myself because I don’t feel safe on campus right now. This isn’t a laughing matter, this is a problem that needs to be solved https://t.co/dGjRfZ1D0T
— Libbi Adams (@libbia29) October 2, 2018
This is such a stupid tweet. Not only could it discourage students from contacting the police in the future out of fear of being turned into a cheap Twitter joke, but given all the recent security concerns on Hampton Dr students have a right to be concerned for their safety. https://t.co/tAIM08buIG
— Peter Hutson (@peter_hutson) October 2, 2018
So the fact that a student felt unsafe at 9:45pm is horrible enough, but campus police making fun of her for being scared that a car was following her? No wonder she didn’t feel safe, campus police clearly isn’t doing their jobs well enough. https://t.co/kl6PB5R9CP
— Dean. (@Deanaleks_) October 2, 2018
“at butler we start by believing” …..and then make jokes about the student who was clearly scared enough to call the police. do better, @butleru https://t.co/0LlVsosg9e
— liv (@ooolivia_kremer) October 2, 2018
how could anyone possibly think this is an appropriate and effective way to handle a problem like this? poking fun at a girl who feels legitimately unsafe – way to go !!! https://t.co/vfD0A8w5G1
— Marisa Owen (@myauntchristine) October 2, 2018
When I was a freshman I was approached by a creepy guy I didn’t know walking between Resco and Schwitzer (a 2 minute on-campus walk) at 11pm. Maybe you don’t understand fears/struggles women experience every day but you probably should considering it’s your job to protect ppl https://t.co/O0WOvYkxhM
— Maddie Miller (@_maddiejmiller_) October 2, 2018
Ppl aren’t going to report actual crime to you if you don’t take them seriously. Do better. I’m glad I’m graduated and not living on your campus anymore if this is how you treat students, especially at a time in which women everywhere are coming forward about this kind of fear
— Maddie Miller (@_maddiejmiller_) October 2, 2018
As the mom of a Butler grad, I would hope you would not make the security of my daughter a punch line on Twitter. Students’ safety and well-being are paramount. This glib remark is beyond disappointing.
— Carol S. Miller (@sullymiller1) October 2, 2018
What a disgrace. You’ve now disheartened many students who entrusted you to keep them safe, just to post a childish and extremely inappropriate tweet. Be better BUPD. (and how about we remove it, eh?) https://t.co/lbMpced6Uj
— Meredith Gallagher (@MERE_galla11) October 2, 2018
Digital managing editor Zach Horrall also contributed to this story.