UT Steps up Security after Murder on Campus
After the death of a student on campus, the University of Texas at Austin asked the Department of Public Safety to complete an assessment of campus security.
UT released a summary of the DPS’ report, which covers 434 acres and about 165 buildings. The report points to a need for more public safety staffing on campus, specifically, more officers on the University of Texas Police force and security guards patrolling the campus.
Recommendations by the Department of Public Safety include upgrading video surveillance systems, better lighting in many areas of campus and the purging of excessive vegetation growth. DPS also said policies should be developed to reduce the presence of homeless on campus as well as improve control that would limit access to campus buildings at night by individuals who are not members of the UT community.
The report will not be released in full because it includes “specific and detailed findings, and describes daily operations related to security.”
UT security officials will continue to “constantly evaluate” campus security as well as stay updated on external factors such as crime trends, public opinion and city ordinances.
The university says they will begin to implement the recommendations as soon as they can, but the transition could cost “several million dollars.”