2008 Woodie Awards
Incorrect police phone number leaves student confused
Class schedule lists incorrect number to call public safety department.
By Will Underhill
Issue date: 2/29/08 Section: News
Originally published: 2/28/08 at 4:21 PM CSTLast update: 2/28/08 at 4:24 PM CST
Most of the time, contacting the department of public safety is easy. However, journalism sophomore Sharon Whiten tells a different story.
Whiten used to park her car in the same spot in Lot 17 every day. On Feb. 14, after parking her car, an irate student pulled up next to her car and claimed Whiten had stolen her parking place.
The spot in question was reserved disability parking. Whiten is registered with the student disability support services and has all the proper tags to use such parking.
The upset student got out of her vehicle and started to bang on the top of Whiten's car. When Whiten asked the student if she had the tags to park in disabled parking, the student said she did not have to show Whiten anything and left the area.
"I don't think that that girl would go do something to my car," Whiten said.
However, Whiten wanted to be prepared if something happened and tried to report the incident to DPS.
When Whiten started to look for the phone number in her college reference books, the problems started.
The first number Whiten tried was 733-2213. She found it on Page 20 of the spring 2008 class schedule, and after dialing it, she got a busy signal. She kept calling in an attempt to get through, but after five days decided to give up.
That number used to belong to Sgt. Robert Tomlinson before he moved to the DPS office at 210 W. Sheridan. The number is no longer valid but still being printed in the class schedule and the student handbook.
Phone numbers listed in other reference materials also are incorrect.
Two phone numbers are listed on Page 50 of the 2007-08 college bulletin. The first, 208-8099, is dispatch for district police, still works and is recommended for non-emergency use. The second, 225-3415, is disconnected; and John Childers, district telecommunications manager, said the number has never been used by the district.
The 2007-08 student planner distributed by student development during orientation listed two different numbers for DPS and also had incorrect information. The first number, 733-2212, is the correct number for the DPS office on this campus, and is used for non emergency situations. The second, 733-2214, was a nonworking number that would only give callers a busy signal.
Whiten used to park her car in the same spot in Lot 17 every day. On Feb. 14, after parking her car, an irate student pulled up next to her car and claimed Whiten had stolen her parking place.
The spot in question was reserved disability parking. Whiten is registered with the student disability support services and has all the proper tags to use such parking.
The upset student got out of her vehicle and started to bang on the top of Whiten's car. When Whiten asked the student if she had the tags to park in disabled parking, the student said she did not have to show Whiten anything and left the area.
"I don't think that that girl would go do something to my car," Whiten said.
However, Whiten wanted to be prepared if something happened and tried to report the incident to DPS.
When Whiten started to look for the phone number in her college reference books, the problems started.
The first number Whiten tried was 733-2213. She found it on Page 20 of the spring 2008 class schedule, and after dialing it, she got a busy signal. She kept calling in an attempt to get through, but after five days decided to give up.
That number used to belong to Sgt. Robert Tomlinson before he moved to the DPS office at 210 W. Sheridan. The number is no longer valid but still being printed in the class schedule and the student handbook.
Phone numbers listed in other reference materials also are incorrect.
Two phone numbers are listed on Page 50 of the 2007-08 college bulletin. The first, 208-8099, is dispatch for district police, still works and is recommended for non-emergency use. The second, 225-3415, is disconnected; and John Childers, district telecommunications manager, said the number has never been used by the district.
The 2007-08 student planner distributed by student development during orientation listed two different numbers for DPS and also had incorrect information. The first number, 733-2212, is the correct number for the DPS office on this campus, and is used for non emergency situations. The second, 733-2214, was a nonworking number that would only give callers a busy signal.
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