By: Heather Konefsky Staff Writer
When students are over-intoxicated they can be transported to the hospital at the discretion of Public Safety (PS). However, multiple incidents of alleged unprofessionalism regarding PS officers have left students feeling uneasy about the process.
One student who was transported, but wished to remain anonymous, said, “I used my last percent [of battery] around 2 [a.m.] to call my mom and she told me that [PS was] coming to get me. I asked and asked several times without having contact with anyone for hours and PS finally picked me up around 5 [a.m.].”
Juwan Wood, a junior computer science and film major, walked home from the Nassau University Medical Center after being transported his freshman year because nobody came to pick him up. “To be honest, PS was the last thing on my mind. They don’t do anything but cause me trouble on campus, so I wouldn’t expect help from them when I’m off campus,” Wood said.
All PS officers are certified first responders and a few are emergency medical technicians, according to Robert McDonald, the associate director of Operations for PS. When PS is called, they will evaluate the intoxicated student and call an ambulance if necessary. Nassau County police will also arrive on scene. McDonald said a police officer is required to ride in the ambulance with the student to the hospital.
According to Hofstra’s website, “Your student will go to the ER in the ambulance alone. However, if your student is a resident student, Public Safety notifies Hofstra’s director on duty that a student had been transported to the ER. The director on duty then visits the hospital and acts as an advocate for your student. The director on duty stays with the student until he or she is admitted, discharged, or until a family member arrives.”
Depending on the amount of assistance needed, students may remain at the hospital for the night or for just a few hours.
“If the student’s medical condition requires they be treated at the hospital, PS requests an ambulance for their transportation as our vehicles are not equipped for medical transport,” said Karen O’Callaghan, the director of PS. “If that student who went to the hospital via ambulance requires transportation back, they are directed to contact PS, who will assist when a vehicle is available. This is only for students who are transported to Nassau University Medical Center, the closest hospital to campus,” O’Callaghan said.
Complaints have circulated campus about how PS handles intoxicated students. Another student who wanted to remain anonymous as they recounted their experience assisting an over-intoxicated friend said, “They were joking around and yelling and being really obnoxious while I was holding onto her and [she] was crying. They just didn’t really seem to care about the person they were dealing with as much as themselves.”
The student explained to PS that they did not like the officer’s tone and said PS made snarky comments. “They signed up for this job and just because they see emergencies a bunch doesn’t mean they should stop treating each one as an actual emergency. Their whole attitude changed when the police came and they weren’t responsible anymore, which made me even more mad,” the student said.
If students feel like a situation has been improperly handled, PS encourages students to report it and the complaint will reach McDonald.
McDonald said that many students do not want to contact PS because they are afraid of getting in trouble. Hofstra, however, retains a medical amnesty policy, meaning that students will not be in trouble for being intoxicated if they are calling to get a friend medical help.
“It depends on circumstances. If we get a call about a loud party and PS responds and there is more than what is legal in the room, then the host and some other people may get a referral. That’s more of a conduct issue,” McDonald said.
“If we have someone who is intoxicated and a roommate or friend calls, we will not go after them. We are here to help, not out to get you,” McDonald said.
He explained that if there is any question regarding whether someone is stable, PS should be called. McDonald said, “If they cannot walk, they cannot speak properly or their speech is really slurred you should call us.”