URBANA, Ill. (WCIA) — The University of Illinois Police Department said safety has always been a priority for them. Now they’re asking for the campus community to make it one as well.

This comes after five people were arrested near campus with guns and drugs in recent weeks. Four of the arrests happened last week and the fifth happened on Monday.

UIPD spokesperson Patrick Wade said the campus community operates almost like a city within a city. Like with any other community, it deals with criminal activity, and that’s exactly what happened on Oct. 8, 10, and 17.

“We see different issues like this from time to time. We adapt, we’re flexible,” Wade said. “But I think it’s just a matter of normal police patrols being proactive and being out there.”

Wade said it’s more about being vigilant than concerned. He said a part of the department being proactive is making sure the community is aware of what’s going on and knowing what to do if something suspicious happens.

Some tips he shared on how to keep vigilant in a potentially hostile situation were to know when to leave, how and when to report the situation, and how to keep yourself safe.