Oct. 23: 7:00 p.m.-9:29 p.m.

Steve Chraca sat on a swivel chair in a cramped office filled with vests, police radios and flashlights. He held up a black, pocket-covered vest with a shining emblem that read “Student Patrol.” With a grin on his face, Chraca pointed to the wall where additional vests were hanging.

“Last semester we had blue ones, and these (black vests) are pretty new, so we want to make sure people still recognize us,” he said. “The blue vests were bulky. These are more slimmed.”

Chraca stood and hung up his vest. He explained that all he carries in the vest on a typical night are his radio, cell phone, wallet and maybe snacks.

“Some people ask if we carry weapons, but we don’t. I usually just say we have our left and right,” Chraca said with a laugh, flexing his arm muscles.

Chraca, junior in LAS, is one of three team leaders in the Student Patrol program. The 31 members of the Student Patrol staff are trained by the University of Illinois Police Department and hold meetings at the Police Training Institute, located at 1004 S. Fourth St. Each team member works once every three days and helps the campus police by reporting suspicious activity, giving warnings for noise complaints and directing pedestrian traffic at sporting events. But, perhaps what the Student Patrol is best known for is the SafeWalks program.

To use SafeWalks, students call the SafeWalks number at 217-333-1216, and, after the SafeWalks patrollers arrive, they are escorted safely to their destinations. Previously, SafeWalks began at 9 p.m. but, beginning on Oct. 20, the service was extended to run from 7 p.m. to 2 a.m. Sunday through Wednesday, and 7 p.m. to 3 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday.

Upstairs, Chraca joined assistant team leaders Trey Jackson, junior in Business, and Sean Ryan, senior in LAS, inside a mock courtroom at the Police Training Institute. Ryan casually sat on the judge’s bench, typing on his laptop, while Jackson played games on his phone, and Chraca finished a Chipotle burrito.

I have to admit, the whole process seemed very laid-back. A smiling Chraca, sporting jeans and a hoodie, had greeted me earlier, shattering my previous notion that the SafeWalks patrollers were serious and intimidating. To pass the time, Chraca and Jackson exchanged stories about being on the job.

Chraca explained that on the weekends, Student Patrol is mainly responsible for responding to noise complaints. First, the team gives courtesy warnings. If the host does not comply with these warnings, the police will get involved and write tickets.

“Usually we are welcomed, so it’s not often that people are rude. They realize it’s either us or the actual police. And you would much rather deal with us … as opposed to a $400 fine,” Chraca said.

Despite the nightly challenges of Student Patrol, Chraca became involved in the program to gain experience for his future career in law enforcement. As he explained earlier, Student Patrol serves as the eyes and ears of the University’s police.

“It’s a calling, something you feel obligated to do. It’s a way to serve the community in a beneficial way, to do a job like no other,” Chraca said.

Jackson, on the other hand, said he was simply looking for a part-time job. He heard about the job opening through his roommate, who was also a Student Patrol member.

At this point in our conversation, additional Student Patrol members began to show up for the briefing meeting. Thirteen members were working that night, including patrol veterans Jung Yeob Kim, senior in Business, and DaTron Williams, junior in LAS.

During the meeting, Chraca discussed protocol for campus building checks and opportunities to do ride-alongs with the police, while also reminding members about the dress code: no sweatpants. He also showed a picture of a SafeWalks T-shirt, which is a bright orange shirt and has the phrase “Keep calm and call SafeWalks” across the front.

After the meeting, the team separated and set out to cover different sections of campus.

I was assigned to work with Jackson and Kim. Downstairs, they slipped on their vests and handed one to me.

We left the Police Training Institute and began our patrol on Section 2: the Quad.

9:30-10:54 p.m.

Jackson and Kim walked down the Quad, ignoring the chilled air, snow flurries and passersby who stared at their vests.

“When people get lost, they often say they’ve never seen us before. But once you’ve seen us, you’ll start noticing us everywhere,” Jackson said.

Kim added that their reputation has changed a lot over time.

“There are times when students hate us and times when students love us,” Kim said.

Kim and Jackson approached the Undergraduate Library for a building check. Before going inside, Kim walked down the courtyard and looked out at the South Quad. Suddenly, the campus seemed empty. The only thing to be seen was the back of Kim’s vest and the light snow that fell around him.

“I could tell you about so many beautiful places on campus that people don’t notice,” he said.

At this point, Chraca pulled up in the Student Patrol van and picked us up. Inside, he listened to his police radio and ate another burrito, this time from Taco Bell.

While Chraca expects his team to dress warmly, he said he also lets everyone take rotations to warm up in the car.

The team drove through the different sections of campus, watching for suspicious activities.

After about 30 minutes, Chraca headed back toward the Quad. Still, no one had called for SafeWalks. While calling is the most common way students contact Student Patrol, Chraca said there are alternatives.

“If you see us, you can walk up to us or we can ask you (if you need help),” he said. “The third way is (to use) the Emergency Phones.”

Emergency Phones are the blue-topped phone booths on campus with “Emergency” on the top. They direct callers to the same dispatcher as SafeWalks.

10:55 p.m.-11:20 p.m.

Back on the Quad, Jackson asked, “Is today Wednesday? We are going to have a SafeWalk at the University Library around 11.”

“We have regulars. This girl started memorizing our names,” Kim added.

Sure enough, Natalie Leoni, senior in LAS and Illini Media employee, met us at the front of the library. Leoni said she has been using the SafeWalks service since her freshman year.

“This year I work at the Main Library, and I work late nights until closing, so this walk to Urbana is scary,” she said. “I just feel more secure, and it’s nice to talk to people.”

Leoni said she is a SafeWalks regular, to which Jackson responded, “I have to say, probably my favorite.”

In what felt like a 30-second walk, we arrived at Leoni’s home. She told Jackson and Kim she will see them next week at the same time.

We walked through the silent, cold Quad once again, and after giving up my vest, Jackson and Kim gave me a SafeWalk home. When we reached my dorm, it felt like I was saying goodbye to close friends.

I remember Chraca telling me that Student Patrol is hiring next semester.

Maybe I’ll be there.

Annabeth is a freshman in Media. She can be reached at [email protected].