Written by Veronica Colegrove
Generally, students aren't overly aware of the presence of Safety and Security officers on campus unless they explicitly ask for trouble. Many freshmen and sophomores will tell you stories about mad scrambles to hide beer when Safety and Security came knocking on their door, but that only happens if you're being too loud, or someone in your dorm knows what you're up to and decides to snitch on you. In terms of breaking up off-campus parties, Safety and Security only interferes when parties are out of hand, and neighbors complain. Obviously, if you avoid breaking policies, you won't have a problem with campus security. On the other hand, if you stay quiet and to yourself, you usually won't have any problems either.
The worst run-ins most students have with Safety and Security is if they are caught drinking underage. Oberlin has strict policies about drugs and alcohol, so if you're into any mind-and-spirit-altering substances, steer clear of on-campus events, such as Drag Ball and Safer Sex Night, when Safety and Security officers are on the lookout for mischief. Besides drugs and alcohol, Safety and Security cracks down hard on perpetrators of sexual violence-for obvious reasons. In all situations, keeping things under control is the main key to avoiding confrontations with Safety and Security. And, they are there for you if you need them or have a problem. Their main concern is the safety of the students. This may require them busting you, or busting the person giving you a hard time.