MUPD teams up with Invisible Fence to end jaywalking
MILWAUKEE - Marquette University Police Department will begin a new initiative to prevent student jaywalking. The initiative will be a collaboration between MUPD and the electric pet collar company Invisible Fence.
"Jaywalking is a serious crime that the Marquette community has become all too familiar with," said MUPD Chief Paul Mascari. "We are here to make Marquette's campus safer, and that means teaching students safer habits."
Last year MUPD received an $8,000 grant to help improve pedestrian safety on campus. Officers began rewarding students who obey pedestrian laws with free pizza coupons, but it seemed to have little impact.
"Positive reinforcement is usually a good place to start, but sometimes you need to take different approaches for proper training," said Diane Carol, a professor at the Milwaukee Obedience School. "When MUPD asked me for advice, I said there's nothing better than Invisible Fence."
Invisible Fence's signature shock collar technology teaches dogs not to cross predetermined boundaries. This same technology will be used to teach students.
"The Invisible Fence technology will be placed in the lanyards that freshman buy during orientation" said Chief Mascari."This way new students can learn safe habits from the moment the get on campus."
The shock-lanyards will be most effective on freshman who wear them around their neck, but they will still work for those who try to be subtle and hang them out of their pockets.
"We aren't forgetting about upperclassmen though," Mascari added. "MUPD officers will now carry spray bottles of water with them at all times to use on students who jaywalk, and they will have treats in their pockets for those who don't. Eventually we hope to partner with Milk Bones as well"
