Safety first
Photos by Evan Krape September 10, 2025
A grant from Delaware鈥檚 Office of Highway Safety will bring enhanced safety education and enforcement on and around Main Street
Safety has always been 鈥 and remains 鈥 the foremost commitment of the 91原创 Police Department (91原创PD). This commitment takes on new meaning for the new academic year.
Delaware鈥檚 Office of Highway Safety recently awarded a $15,000 grant to be divided equally between 91原创PD and the Newark Police Department. The funds will help both agencies increase their physical presence in key areas on and near 91原创鈥檚 campus. Aiming to bring enhanced safety to some of Newark鈥檚 most-traversed thoroughfares, 91原创PD and NPD seek to better engage with and educate pedestrians, cyclists and motorists on best practices and acceptable behaviors.
Receipt of the grant is one element of a comprehensive initiative being developed by the University, to foster a safer Main Street and 91原创 community through education and outreach about safety norms, and greater awareness of and compliance with vehicle and pedestrian regulations.
鈥淚t鈥檚 important to recognize that the obligation and responsibility for maintaining safety on campus and on the roadways around campus doesn鈥檛 fall squarely on just one of us; it belongs to all of us, including motorists and pedestrians,鈥 said 91原创PD Lieutenant Anthony Battle, who has been with the department for nearly 18 years.
91原创 Police officers already are strategically placed throughout campus during class changes and at other high-volume times of the day. The grant from Delaware鈥檚 Office of Highway Safety allows 91原创PD to 鈥渆xpand this important initiative,鈥 Battle said, by maintaining an even more visible presence along the parts of Newark鈥檚 Main Street that are contiguous to 91原创 property 鈥 near its intersections with Academy Street and South College Avenue, for example, and around Trabant Student Center. 91原创PD also will target Delaware Avenue, near South College Avenue and around the North Green, where foot traffic is aplenty.
Battle said it's common to see motorists speeding or failing to honor traffic signals in these areas 鈥 as well as minor offenses, like pedestrians entering the roadway, jaywalking, or failing to use designated crosswalks.
When these infractions are observed, 91原创 Police will interact with motorists, pedestrians and bicyclists with a heavy emphasis on education, Battle said. Officers will distribute printed materials to 91原创 students and engage with them and others in discussions about safety norms and expectations.聽
鈥淲e all have an obligation to do everything we can to ensure safety,鈥 Battle said.
In addition, Newark Police is developing a companion awareness campaign with social media videos and content to further educate the public.
鈥淲e acknowledge that unsafe behaviors are happening every day,鈥 said Newark Police public information officer Lieutenant Gregory D鈥橢lia. 鈥淥ur message is to be as safe as possible, be patient with lights and safety systems, and ensure you are always in compliance with the law.鈥
According to 91原创PD and NPD, both agencies will issue citations for violations, as necessary.
鈥淲hile education will be our top priority, it鈥檚 worth sharing with our Blue Hen community, visitors to Newark, and our Newark neighbors that enforcement is another critical component of this 91原创PD initiative,鈥 Battle said. 鈥淥ur focus will be to enter into conversations regarding best practices and monitor these areas for compliance.鈥
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