AUBURN, Ala. (EETV)- Auburn University's security notification system AU Alert was silent as a man was chased by police across central campus.
According to Auburn University's Department of Campus Safety and Security website, the system "is designed to communicate time-sensitive emergency messages in a number of ways in an effort to alert all students, employees and visitors about potentially dangerous situations."
Some Auburn students were concerned that the system was not activated and many are curious as to why campus safety officials neglected to activate the system.
"It's not a process that will take a long time, it's something that will take five minutes," said Auburn student Tanner Perry. "The fact that there's an assailant or someone else running away from police on campus and there is no notification to any students is a little disappointing."
This is not the first time that an AU Alert has not been sent out following a reported criminal incident on campus; the university failed to send an alert out after a gun was discharged on campus while the 2017 Iron Bowl was being played.
At the time, Interim Executive Director of Campus Safety and Security Chance Corbett said in a statement to Eagle Eye TV: "We evaluate each reported incident carefully. We were immediately told by APD there was no threat so that helped us make the decision not to send an alert. If we thought there was a threat to others, an AU ALERT would have been sent immediately likely followed by information to the stadium crowd as well."
When Eagle Eye TV reached out to Campus Safety and Security regarding Thursday morning's incident, department spokesperson Brooke Bailey wrote: "Auburn Police engaged in a routine traffic stop for a traffic violation. It was a rapidly evolving situation and was quickly resolved. There was no indication that there was a threat to the campus community. The person in question is in custody."
3:07 p.m. Update from Campus Safety and Security spokesperson Brooke Bailey:
"It is standard operating procedure to issue an AU ALERT upon confirmation by the City of Auburn Public Safety Department that a significant emergency or dangerous situation poses an immediate threat to the Auburn University campus community. Officers on the scene did not perceive there to be a danger to the campus community and resolved the situation in a matter of several minutes."
