Student Nighttime Auxiliary Patrol (SNAP), a service of the UNA police department, provides nightly escorts for students, faculty and visitors to their destination around campus upon request.

SNAP is available between 8 p.m. and 2 a.m. every night. Callers will be asked for their first name and their location. The request is then dispatched to student workers on patrol, and SNAP will send either an escort on foot or in a university police golf cart to pick them up.

“SNAP is a very effective service that has gained national attention,” said UNA Chief of Police Bob Pastula.

“I find SNAP very important,” said UNA student Kaitlin McCoy. “I use it every Tuesday night to carry me back to the dorm from work. I feel safer having SNAP on campus.”

“I feel safer going out at night knowing that I can call (SNAP) for a ride back to my dorm,” said Kayla Caruso, a UNA student. “The employees are polite and SNAP is a great asset to our school.

The only downside is that it takes them a while to arrive sometimes.”

The waiting period depends on the number of requests being processed on a given night. SNAP averages between 15 to 30 escorts each night.

At least two SNAP employees are on patrol each night. Callers are picked up in the order in which they call unless they are en route of a current escort.

“I love working for SNAP,” said SNAP employee Desiree’ Alexander. “It makes me feel like I am helping others, especially when it comes to safety on campus. I am basically a second set of eyes for the UNA police officers.”

Aside from escorting, SNAP employees patrol the parking lots and areas around the buildings on campus for any pedestrians that may want a ride to their destination.

“As I was walking out of the library, the SNAP employee offered someone and me a ride to our desired destination,” said UNA student Preston Sales. “It was effective because I was tired and did not have to walk back to my dorm after a long night of studying.”

SNAP is an invaluable service, Alexander said.

“I think that it is very effective, especially after all that has happened on campus,” she said. “We usually do a patrol of the campus every hour. Some students even make comments about how this program makes them feel safer while riding the golf cart.”

Students can call UNA Police at 256-765-4357 to request a SNAP escort.