Auburn University Steps Up Transit Security

Auburn University Steps Up Transit Security

Following an incident in September, safety and security administration at Auburn University are beefing up security on campus transit.

Students returning to Auburn University campus following winter break will notice significant security changes on the campus' transit buses following an incident where a student was sexually assaulted on a nighttime transit bus four months ago.

After the incident, the university began to implement extra safety measures in an attempt to prevent a similar situation from occurring in the future such as bystander intervention training, hiring extra security personnel and live video monitoring or late-night bus routes.

“Safety has become a huge issue, especially transit safety,” university president Steven Leath said in his address at the most recent Board of Trustees meeting in November. “We’re trying to make improvements as quickly as we can. We did not take our time on this; we’ve been moving very fast.”

Auburn is requiring all First Transit employees on campus to go through Green Dot bystander training. About 7,000 other university employees and students have gone through the training and the university hopes it will be implemented into the Emerge Leadership program for freshman by Fall 2018.

In addition to the training, some safety measures are being implemented on the buses themselves. Security personnel, contracted through U.S. Security Associate, now ride on each bus.

“That company is the same company the university contracts with for private security,” said Chance Corbett, interim executive director of Campus Safety and Security. “These officers are the ones who are tasked with patrolling different areas of campus on foot. These are the same security officers who work in the library, and in the residence halls.”

At the First Transit's local office employees will monitor live video feeds from the bus cameras at night. Cameras constantly record video whenever the buses are on, said Rex Huffman, manager of transit services for the university. Cameras have been on the buses for nearly a decade, but prior to the incident in September, the live feed was only monitored sporadically.

“We think it’s important that you see First Transit and the university are taking measures,” he explained. “The university’s priority is safety, no doubt about that. Yes, we have an academic mission. But the safety of everyone is number one at the end of the day.”

About the Author

Sydny Shepard is the Executive Editor of Campus Security & Life Safety.

Featured

  • Gaining a Competitive Edge

    Ask most companies about their future technology plans and the answers will most likely include AI. Then ask how they plan to deploy it, and that is where the responses may start to vary. Every company has unique surveillance requirements that are based on market focus, scale, scope, risk tolerance, geographic area and, of course, budget. Those factors all play a role in deciding how to configure a surveillance system, and how to effectively implement technologies like AI. Read Now

  • 6 Ways Security Awareness Training Empowers Human Risk Management

    Organizations are realizing that their greatest vulnerability often comes from within – their own people. Human error remains a significant factor in cybersecurity breaches, making it imperative for organizations to address human risk effectively. As a result, security awareness training (SAT) has emerged as a cornerstone in this endeavor because it offers a multifaceted approach to managing human risk. Read Now

  • The Stage is Set

    The security industry spans the entire globe, with manufacturers, developers and suppliers on every continent (well, almost—sorry, Antarctica). That means when regulations pop up in one area, they often have a ripple effect that impacts the entire supply chain. Recent data privacy regulations like GDPR in Europe and CPRA in California made waves when they first went into effect, forcing businesses to change the way they approach data collection and storage to continue operating in those markets. Even highly specific regulations like the U.S.’s National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) can have international reverberations – and this growing volume of legislation has continued to affect global supply chains in a variety of different ways. Read Now

  • Access Control Technology

    As we move swiftly toward the end of 2024, the security industry is looking at the trends in play, what might be on the horizon, and how they will impact business opportunities and projections. Read Now

Featured Cybersecurity

Webinars

New Products

  • QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC)

    The latest Qualcomm® Vision Intelligence Platform offers next-generation smart camera IoT solutions to improve safety and security across enterprises, cities and spaces. The Vision Intelligence Platform was expanded in March 2022 with the introduction of the QCS7230 System-on-Chip (SoC), which delivers superior artificial intelligence (AI) inferencing at the edge. 3

  • Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation.

    Connect ONE®

    Connect ONE’s powerful cloud-hosted management platform provides the means to tailor lockdowns and emergency mass notifications throughout a facility – while simultaneously alerting occupants to hazards or next steps, like evacuation. 3

  • AC Nio

    AC Nio

    Aiphone, a leading international manufacturer of intercom, access control, and emergency communication products, has introduced the AC Nio, its access control management software, an important addition to its new line of access control solutions. 3