Students have been voicing their concerns about off-campus safety to the Office of Campus Safety and Security since the new school year started. Although statistics remain low, students often express feeling nervous walking along North Avenue late at night.

“There are creepy people and drunk people,” said junior Nicole Jensen. “There are people hanging out on the streets and people yelling things from cars.”

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report was released on Sept. 30 and showed that crimes such as robbery, aggravated assault, burglary and motor vehicle theft only occurred a few times collectively during 2012.

However, there has been one individual in particular that disrupted many students’ sense of security this semester. Walter Crossman, a homeless man known by students as “Water,” has often been found singing loudly and playing guitar along North Avenue.

“We had no interaction with the gentleman prior to [August],” said Director of Campus Safety and Security Dominic Locatelli. “The weekend of move-in day, if not move-in day itself, he had appeared in the area.”

Students encountered Crossman at all hours of the day, and stories surfaced of how he would call out to them as they walked by. Jensen told a story about how he followed her and her roommate into Dunkin Donuts one Friday night.

“He stared at me through the window, came in and said something about me being hot and I felt really uncomfortable,” she said. “It got really awkward, he [went] back outside then I ran for my life with my roommate.”

Vice Provost of Student Life Charlie Carlson said that there were several complaints of Crossman being on Iona property, bullying students. The latest incident occurred on Sept. 4; he was in an intoxicated condition, playing his guitar and using foul language, according to Carlson.

“On Sept. 5, I typed up a letter advising him that he is banned from our campus,” said Carlson. “If in fact he’s on Iona campus for any reason we will notify the New Rochelle Police and have him arrested.”

The letter was hand-delivered to Crossman by campus security and a conversation was had with the New Rochelle Police Department to receive their support, according to Carlson.

“We have a good working relationship with the New Rochelle Police,” said Carlson.

“We understand and are reacting to the complaints or the uncomfortable feelings the students may have,” said Locatelli.

However, the school’s jurisdiction does not extend beyond Iona property. If an incident occurs on city property, such as a sidewalk, campus security can assist a student if he or she calls for help, but the school has no control over violations that occur there.

“The person that is being harassed…is really the person that would have to file the complaint,” said Locatelli.

However, students have noticed his absence lately.

“I haven’t seen him in a while,” said Jensen.

While accepting the fact that one must be cautious in New Rochelle, junior Rebecca Iannetta says she is still comfortable living here. Iannetta was one of the students that experienced the home break-in that the Ionian reported on in the Oct. 3 issue.

“The break-in seemed to be a pretty isolated incident, so I feel relatively safe,” said Iannetta. “However it has affected my peace of mind as well as my roommates’. Every little noise we hear makes us a bit jumpy.”

Iannetta said that she has been extra careful since the incident, but it has not changed her life completely.

“My view hasn’t shifted much on New Rochelle’s safety,” she said. “Like any town or city, there are always going to be incidents, so it’s good to always be wary of that, but it’s not something that I feel needs to be on the forefront of my mind 24/7.”

Carlson and Locatelli encourage students to call the New Rochelle Police and/or Campus Safety and Security if they feel unsafe off-campus. New Rochelle Police have jurisdiction over what takes place, but campus security will alert the New Rochelle Police to have them dispatch in necessary situations, according to Carlson.

“We always try to get out there: if you see something, say something,” said Locatelli.

Carlson and Locatelli recommend programming the New Rochelle Police (914-654-2300) and Campus Safety and Security (914-633-2560) onto your phone’s speed dial in case of an emergency.