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| York Security Services supervisor Norm Ferris (left) and security official Joe Young with York’s two new patrol cars |
People are noticing York’s two new red and white Security Service patrol cars, which made their first appearance on the Keele campus March 15.
Decked out in a new, more highly visible red and white York colour scheme, that attention proves they are already a success in one respect – they were designed to be noticeable and enhance the visibility of security on campus.
The cars’ arrival follows the expiry of the University’s lease on its existing vehicles and is part of planned improvements to security on campus, says Rob Kilfoyle, York’s director of security services.
Before the new cars were purchased, a cost analysis showed it was more economical to buy rather than lease the new cars and so a public tender was put out specifying York’s requirements, which included compatibility with equipment, such as the “silent partner” safety screen that separates the front and back seats. These and other features of the new cars are part of the University’s response to the recommendations around safety for security personnel in the METRAC Safety Audit Report.
The purchase, which included one Chevrolet Tahoe SUV (right) for the security supervisor that will double as a mobile command centre in an emergency, was paid for with existing funds in the University’s security budget, says Kilfoyle.
The type of vehicle chosen, a Dodge Charger police model that is used by law enforcement agencies across North America, includes durability features needed for a car that will operate around the clock, 365 days a year, for the next five years. “A high level of ruggedness and dependability is required,” Kilfoyle says. “This played a significant role in our decision to choose these particular vehicles.”
York Security Services patrol cars are used by staff to respond to emergencies on the 400-acre Keele campus, provide traffic control and road block duties, maintain regular patrols and assist in directing emergency service vehicles to locations on campus.
For more information on campus security operations, visit the York Security Services website.