Safety alert
A newsroom employee leaving work about 1 a.m. Saturday was robbed and assaulted as she walked to her car, in the area of Fourth and Cedar streets. The employee wasn't harmed, which we're grateful for. Police caught the suspect.
We're not telling you about this incident to scare you, but so you'll be informed. As the newspaper's St. Paul public safety reporter, I can tell you that assaults and robberies downtown happen from time to time.
When you're leaving the building, particularly in the dark, please ask the night guard to walk you to your car. He is willing to do this and frequently does. If he's not at the front desk, try to walk out with other people leaving.
At the suggestion of employees of the newsroom's hub, who work the evening shift, we're working to see whether the night guard can carry a pager or cell phone with him in the future. Sometimes the guard is not at the desk if he's on patrol or walking someone else to his or her car. If he's provided with a cell phone or pager, departing employees who would like an escort could check in with him about his whereabouts.
Thom Fladung agreed on Monday to talk with human resources about the possibility of equipping the guard with a cell phone or pager, and he said on Tuesday he's had the conversation. Now, human resources plans to talk to the guards to find out how this would work for them. We'll keep you up-to-date with what's happening.
If you have any questions or want to talk about safety around the building, please contact Mara at X5262 or marahg@netzero.com.
- Mara H. Gottfried
We're not telling you about this incident to scare you, but so you'll be informed. As the newspaper's St. Paul public safety reporter, I can tell you that assaults and robberies downtown happen from time to time.
When you're leaving the building, particularly in the dark, please ask the night guard to walk you to your car. He is willing to do this and frequently does. If he's not at the front desk, try to walk out with other people leaving.
At the suggestion of employees of the newsroom's hub, who work the evening shift, we're working to see whether the night guard can carry a pager or cell phone with him in the future. Sometimes the guard is not at the desk if he's on patrol or walking someone else to his or her car. If he's provided with a cell phone or pager, departing employees who would like an escort could check in with him about his whereabouts.
Thom Fladung agreed on Monday to talk with human resources about the possibility of equipping the guard with a cell phone or pager, and he said on Tuesday he's had the conversation. Now, human resources plans to talk to the guards to find out how this would work for them. We'll keep you up-to-date with what's happening.
If you have any questions or want to talk about safety around the building, please contact Mara at X5262 or marahg@netzero.com.
- Mara H. Gottfried
Darren Carroll
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