The University of New Mexico announced it would switch its LoboAlert method to echo historical figure Paul Revere after students complained about delayed notifications of campus crime. Now, in the event of anything from arson to feathered hat theft, students will hear calls of “RUN, HIDE, FIGHT” and the clomping of horse feet across campus.
In a statement to the Daily Lobo, UNM Police Department spokesperson Robert Newman wrote that the department hopes the new system will help students protect themselves — and stop complaining.
“It was clear that we needed a change,” Newman wrote. “And who better to inspire us than Paul Revere, arguably the most effective messenger in history?”
The announcement came after numerous grievances from students about the inefficiency of the phone and email system. UNMPD considered replacing the method with carrier pigeons, tin-can phones or smoke signals before settling on the new recurrent midnight ride.
Students got a first glimpse of the new system last night after a string of vehicle thefts left hundreds of students with no form of transportation. At around 3 a.m., UNMPD lieutenant Raul Verepe mounted his horse, and the two galloped down Las Lomas Road.
“The wagon thieves are coming,” Verepe yelled.
Unfortunately, according to eyewitness accounts, the alleged thief was hiding in a bush on Las Lomas at the same time as Verepe’s ride. He heard the yells and quickly ran away. As of publication time, he has not been apprehended or identified.
“The suspect has not been caught, but we want to assure students that there is not that much of a threat to the campus community at this time,” Newman wrote.
Some campus residents expressed concern about the new system.
“Of course, this is way more efficient than the old system,” senior Samuel Adams said. “But honestly, I wish UNMPD had chosen the smoke signal method so that I could ignore them if I needed to.”
Adams added that although smoke signals might not alert the community as efficiently as the Paul Revere method, anything is better than returning to how things used to be.
“At least Paul Revere never accidentally clicked ‘send’ before finishing typing his message,” Adams said.
Get content from The Daily Lobo delivered to your inbox
Nearby resident John Hancock, a non-UNM student who lives a mile away from campus, said the Paul Revere method is too efficient. He was awoken by Verepe’s yelling last night.
“After I heard about this semester’s issue with the irrelevant alerts — I mean, who even cares if William stole your lunch? — I thought anything might be an improvement,” Hancock said. “But I don’t need to hear galloping outside my window at 3 a.m. just because somebody was beheaded on campus.”
That same night, UNM student Aaron Burr told the Daily Lobo he was never made aware of the beheading. He lives on the top floor of a building at Casas del Rio, where Verepe’s yells could not be heard.
Aaron Burr was also never notified of last month’s incident — deemed the “Ducky Tea Party” — when a group of protesting turtles dumped pounds of tea leaves into the Duck Pond in protest of tariffs.
Verepe never notified the campus community when a loaded cannon was found in a bush outside the Fine Arts and Design Library last year.
“I didn’t think it was relevant,” Verepe said. “LoboAlerts are only for emergencies: when people are beheaded, practicing witchcraft, taxed without representation, and when anybody treads on me.”
Lauren Lifke is the managing editor for the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at managingeditor@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @lauren_lifke
Lily Alexander is the 2024-2025 Editor of the Daily Lobo. She can be reached at editorinchief@dailylobo.com or on Twitter @llilyalexander
