You finally find your car in the parking lot.’ You open the door and put in your books. You finally sit down, turn the key and then nothing.’

No cranking of the engine, no dashboard lights, nothing.’ You left your headlights on and your battery is drained or you can’t find your keys.

You been looking everywhere and they’re nowhere to be found. You finally get to your car and lo and behold, there they are, locked inside.

Or after your evening classes, the night seems especially dark and you would just rather not walk to your car by yourself.’ All the people you might be able to call for help race through your mind.

You’ve got places to be and don’t know what to do.

Cerritos College Police Chief Richard Bukowiecki wants every student to know the campus police and traffic security are available for the. ‘We would like to let the student body know every semester part of the services we provide is dead battery assistance.’

Civil engineer major Nadir Cid had his car batter die on him on campus. He didn’t know campus security could have helped him out that day. ‘No I had no idea,’ Cid said.

Buckowiecki also would like students to know campus security can help if anybody locks his or her keys in the car.’

Unfortunately, this service is limited to vehicles that do not have power locks and windows, due to the risk of creating a short circuit.

He also adds, ‘We also provide escort service 24/7. It’s primarily designed for students who feel uncomfortable for some reason walking to their car. For example, there might be a female student that gets out of class at 10:30 at night by herself and doesn’t want to walk to her car on her own, she or anybody can pick up any campus phone or any of the emergency phones located throughout campus and call us for an escort to her car.’

Undecided major Marilyn Noguez has a night class.

She usually has friends walk her to her car, but she feels more comfortable knowing she can call security for an escort in case she feels the need to be walked to her car if her friends aren’t around.

Veterinarian major Claudia Abbott has an evening class and does know about the security escort service, but feels safe on this campus, ‘I feel pretty much safe here, I used to go to Long Beach college and the lighting there is bad, here there’s a lot more lights so I feel comfortable here.’

However, she had no idea of the other services provided.

Bukowiecki would also remind the student body that the security escort service is not a taxi service.

It is provided for students that request an escort to their car for the sake of their own safety, not because they have too many books to carry.

The emergency phones can only be used to request for an escort.

Battery or car entry assistance can call the campus police directly at (562) 860-2451 Ext. 2325.