It is 8 p.m. — the sun has disappeared and the Student Patrol Officers of the Safety Escort Service are starting their shifts. The campus is still littered with students working, meeting with groups and cramming for tests.

Those who do not desire the nocturnal trek to their destination alone can call the Safety Escort Service. The SPOs are on duty from 8 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Jessica McMillan, a freshman in First Year College, said she uses the Safety Escort Service frequently.

“I use it pretty often,” she said. “It’s nice when you pull in the parking lot and the bus just left.”

Delrena Marsh, a freshman in construction engineering and management, said the service is quick, easy and accessible.

“I’m a regular,” Marsh said. “I take it almost every day, except on Fridays. The ride’s not bad — I usually don’t have to wait very long.”

SPOs can be identified by their red shirts with “NCSU Student Patrol” printed on them. According to the Campus Police Web site, the estimated response time after an escort request is about five minutes.

The service is intended for students who feel unsafe walking on campus after dark. Anyone may request an escort from one point on campus to another, and the service is free of charge.

SPOs typically try to walk callers to their destinations, but opt to use the safety escort van, nicknamed the “SPO Wagon,” for long-distance transports.

It is not uncommon for big groups to approach the SPOs seeking transport.

“A lot of people want a free ride… we don’t do that,” Steve Shively, a senior officer in the Student Patrol and senior in criminology, said.

Aside from escorting students, the SPOs perform regular checks of the blue lights and patrol the campus.

Norman Harris, a freshman in materials science and engineering, is a Student Patrol trainee.

“I joined because I needed a job,” he said. He spends his nights on duty under the supervision of experienced SPOs studying radio codes and the SPO manual during down time between escorts.

About 90 percent of the SPOs major in criminology or criminal justice, according to Shively.

Many SPOs use the job as a resume builder for their future careers and Shively indicated that the Safety Escort Service is hiring.

To get a safety escort, contact the Safety Escort Service at 515-3000.