With some students expressing concern about auxiliary police patrols in Beaver Hall, Penn State Police said patrolling officers are to be "unobtrusive and vigilant."

The patrols, which begin every day at 5 p.m. and last until 7 a.m., started recently as an attempt to quell vandalism, said Penn State Police Officer Ellen Aschenbrenner. Police said their nighttime patrols in Beaver Hall will likely extend until the end of the summer.

The practice of officers patrolling dorm buildings isn't new, Aschenbrenner said.

"On request of Residence Life, we've had officers and/or student officers walking through halls at certain times of the year," she said.

Dorm patrols are most common in the spring semester, when vandalism is more frequent, Aschenbrenner said.

At 4:50 a.m. yesterday, a patrolling officer noticed a broken window on the ground floor of Beaver Hall, according to the campus police report. Police have no suspects after interviewing several residents nearby, Aschenbrenner said. The damage estimate is $50.

Graffiti is also common -- such as the graffiti found throughout the first through third floors of Beaver Hall on July 27, according to police reports.

Laura Arnold (freshman-division of undergraduate studies) said she doesn't mind the police presence but doesn't think it should be so extensive.

"Honestly, I don't think it's that necessary," she said. "Maybe a few nights out of the week, especially after something happens, but not the rest of the summer."

Others said they didn't like the patrols at all.

"We're supposed to be living on our own, and I feel like they're treating us like kids, like, 'We need to come and watch you in your dorms,' " Allie Cislak (freshman-secondary education) said.

Darcie Peters (freshman-elementary education) agreed.

"In a way, it seems that I'm being overprotected," she said. "People are going to go out and party and you should be able to go back to your dorm and feel safe, but it's intimidating that there's cops walking around ready to breathalyze you."

Aschenbrenner said officers are instructed to be sensitive to these concerns.

Patrolling officers are directed to be "unobtrusive and vigilant," she said, adding officers were told "residents should barely notice your presence." Auxiliary police officers cannot conduct a Breathalyzer test.

Aschenbrenner said police are also more concerned with preventing vandalism than catching intoxicated students.

"I'm sure it's because of the damages," she said.

Though Aschenbrenner said police make an effort to have male officers on male floors and female officers on female floors, one student said she was uneasy about the possibility of male officers in her hallway.

"It's a little weird because when I take a shower, I just go to the bathroom in my towel and I feel uncomfortable about male cops being outside my door," Karina Krasnaya (freshman-business) said.

Even though she doesn't like the idea of police in her building, Arnold said it might be necessary if students don't stop damaging property.

"It can make you seem more safe because people are vandalizing our hallways," she said. "And you don't want to have to go back and fear that something happened to your stuff."