UGA invests $7.3 million in campus security improvements

ATHENS, Go. — The University of Georgia invested $7.3 million in campus safety improvements, including better lighting, fencing, license plate readers and emergency call stations.

“There is no higher priority at the University of Georgia than the safety and security of our campus community,” said UGA President Jere W. Morehead. “We continually evaluate our safety programs in close collaboration with our partners. Our continued investments strengthen virtually every aspect of campus security.”

According to Red and Black, funding for the new measures came from the state, partner organizations and private donations from organizations including the UGA Parents Leadership Council, the UGA Foundation, the President’s Venture Fund and the UGA Athletic Association.

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The school also used the funding to hire Campus Safety Ambassadors in June. P. Daniel Silk, the university’s associate vice president for public safety, who oversees the implementation of enhanced campus security initiatives, said CSAs are not police officers, but their after-school presence in areas where students frequently walk and congregate on campus will amplify the impact of other campus safety efforts.

CSAs can escort students to their housing and other areas on campus, and can communicate with police via radio if there is an emergency or incident that requires officers. Funding for the ambassadors is part of a permanent 20 percent increase in the UGA Police Department’s budget, which Silk said has also allowed the department to improve recruitment and retention efforts and increase the number of campus safety personnel.

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Lighting, technology upgrades are on the way

More crosswalks were added over the summer, particularly near dormitories with high pedestrian traffic. University leaders say the crosswalks complement ongoing efforts to evaluate campus lighting. UGA also improved lighting around sidewalks near dormitories, and nearly 400 lights on campus are being converted to LED technology, the Morgan County Citizen reports.

The school installed the first of 20 automated license plate readers that will work in conjunction with UGA’s existing camera system, which provides more than 500 camera feeds. New signage has also been implemented that highlights the presence of security cameras on campus.

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Additionally, new fencing is being installed in several locations on campus and the UGA Smart Ride program, which offers 50% off Lyft rides for UGA students, has been extended by four hours per day and is now open from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

“Many students have used the Ride Smart program to safely travel around campus and the greater Athens area,” said Rock Rogers, new president of the Student Governing Association. “It provides a safe travel option and with the extended hours, students now have easier access to this resource. This initiative has contributed significantly to the safety of students traveling on and off campus.”

The program has reportedly provided transportation to 85,000 UGA students since its launch in December 2021.

Phone booths installed after murder on UGA campus

In February, 22-year-old Laken Riley, a nursing student at Augusta University, was killed while jogging on UGA’s campus. Following her death, students and parents urged UGA to quickly implement security improvements, including the installation of emergency call boxes.

Immediately after the incident, a UGA student started a petition urging the installation of these systems in the area where Riley’s body was found. The petition received nearly 26,000 signatures. At the time of the murder, the UGAPD website stated that the campus used to have pay phones, but they were no longer needed.

Emergency call boxes with cameras are being installed as part of the latest upgrades. The new call box systems are said to offer multi-functional capabilities that include security cameras, additional lighting and Wi-Fi, which will facilitate internet-based conversations. They are being installed in areas of the campus that would benefit from additional camera coverage and improved lighting.

The UGA Safe App also offers a “Mobile BlueLight” that allows you to immediately call the UGAPD and share the user’s location.

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