The Sacramento State Police Department performed its biannual testing and small repairs, on all blue light emergency towers on campus throughout the week of March 24, 2025.
Out of the 256 emergency phones tested across campus, 10 were found to be inoperable–four at Hornet Commons and six on campus, Sac State Police Department Deputy Chief Christina Lofthouse said. Lofthouse said that as of April 9, five campus emergency phones remain out of order.
As part of the crisis resources, the towers were initially installed on campus in 2013 to provide a direct way for students to notify campus police during emergencies after multiple sexual assault reports on campus. The blue boxes are designed as standalone poles and wall-mounted boxes in high-traffic areas on campus and in parking garages. Both types are equipped with blue lights to ensure easy identification, especially at night.
Lofthouse said each call box is equipped with a light that indicates when a call has been answered. This feature is also tested, it is specifically designed to assist deaf or disabled students. This ensures that individuals who use the tower can visually confirm their call has been received and is being addressed.
When activated, the tower places a 911 call to campus police, alerts officers to the exact location and activates a flashing blue light to draw attention and deter threats. All towers record audio and most are equipped with cameras for added security.
Testing involves a technician activating the call box to confirm a clear audio connection with dispatch. The technician also assesses the brightness of the blue light and legibility of the dial buttons.
Lofthouse encourages students to be aware of the towers located on campus and to understand how they operate in case they need to use them.
“A lot of times it's quicker than pulling your phone out and dialing 911. Don't be afraid to use them, they're there,” Lofthouse said.
RELATED: Blue emergency towers: Students call for awareness and accessibility
Senior criminal justice major Josiah Ben-Oni said he was involved in a life-threatening emergency last April at the four-way intersection of State University Drive and College Town Drive, right next to Hornet Commons.
“While waiting at the red light, I noticed that a car a few vehicles ahead of me wasn’t moving when the light turned green. I realized the driver was unconscious behind the wheel,” Ben-Oni said. “The driver’s foot slipped off the brake, and his car started rolling straight toward the four-way intersection on a red light. If we hadn’t forced the car next to him to go around, then the unconscious driver would have gone straight into oncoming traffic.”
Ben-Oni said the car rolled just enough to lightly hit another vehicle, which was the best possible outcome. While on the phone with 911, he stopped the car by pulling the emergency brake; and when paramedics arrived he learned the driver had pulled an all-nighter and passed out from exhaustion while driving.
He said the experience taught him how critical it is for students to be aware of the blue light towers and understand how they work; it could make all the difference in an emergency.
“I now realize there was an emergency blue box in that very parking lot, but at the time, I had no idea what it was or how it worked.” Ben-Oni said. “Instead of running across the intersection, calling 911, and trying to manage traffic myself, I could have used the blue box to immediately alert Sac State PD.”
Miles Mendoza, a junior political science major, said he used to work as a sergeant of public safety before he moved to Sacramento. He said the blue light towers are a great way of alleviating confusion in the middle of an emergency, and that he was a bit surprised to hear about the blue boxes being checked on.
“I hope the department comes up with a plan to maintain their continuous upkeep,” Mendoza said. “It was part of a weekly maintenance schedule at my old job.”
Lofthouse said that campus coverage of the emergency towers is good but can always be improved.
“We're always looking to improve and if people have recommendations, like if there's a particular really dark spot or anything like that at night that people observe, please report that to us, or even report it to risk management,” Lofthouse said.
The physical security team and campus IRT are working to troubleshoot the issues with the remaining broken phones, but there isn’t a repair timeline yet, as it depends on IRT’s findings and available budget, Lofthouse said.
RELATED: Out of order: All blue light emergency towers inoperative at Hornet Commons
Several emergency towers at Hornet Commons were inoperable during the week of testing. Lofthouse said Sac State PD is not responsible for these towers, but tests them as a favor; Hornet Commons declined to comment.
UTAPS offers the Hornet Safety Escort service Monday through Thursday, from 6:00 p.m. to midnight, with last pickup at 11:50 p.m. The service can be reached at (916) 278-7260. It does not operate during intersessions, breaks or closures.
Students can contact the Sac State PD at (916) 278-6000. Campus police officers are available 24/7.
