You finally find your car in the parking lot.  You open the door and put your books in. You slide into your seat, 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 here to help.

“We would like to let the student body know every semester part of the services we provide is dead battery assistance.” Parking security does this by utilizing their portable battery jump-start kit.

Civil engineer major Nadir Cid had his car batter die on him here on campus. He didn’t know campus security could have helped him out that day with a jump-start, “no, I had no idea.”

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.

The direct number for campus police to request dead battery or locked-in key assistance is (562) 860-2451 Ext. 2325

Bukowiecki adds; ‘We also provide escort service 24/7. It’s primarily designed for students who feel uncomfortable for some reason walking to their cars by themselves.’

Bukowiecki gives an example for a security escort; “There might be a female student that gets out of class at 10:30 p.m. by herself and doesn’t want to walk to her car on her own, she or anybody can request a security escort by picking up any campus phone or any of the emergency red phones located throughout campus.”

The phone number for Campus Police is (562) 860-2451 Ext. 2325 or 911 from any phone on campus if a student feels they are in immediate danger.

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.

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.

Buckowiecki would like to remind the student body that the security escort service is not a taxi service. It is provided for students that request a security 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 a security escort. Battery or car entry assistance can call the campus police directly.