The Student Government Association passed a resolution, asking the university to add more security cameras to parking on campus.
AUTHOR: Bryan Kubel, SGA senator and student safety chair
SPONSOR: Gene Burton, University Police Department chief of police
Currently, there are security cameras in the Scheumann Stadium parking lots and the lot west of Johnson B Complex.
The Student Government Association passed a resolution Wednesday that encourages the university to add more security cameras in parking garages.
Currently, the lots equipped with security cameras are the Scheumann Stadium parking lots and the lot west of Johnson B Complex.
Bryan Kubel, SGA senator and student safety chair, wrote the legislation.
“The idea spurred from the issue last semester when we thought someone was stabbed in the parking lot, and it turned out to be fake,” he said. “If there were cameras, it could have aided with police investigation.”
Kubel said cameras could make campus safer, especially in lots that are used by students and community members such as the Emens Parking Garage and the lot by Worthen Arena.
“It would make students feel safer to leave their cars for a long period of time or walking around at night, knowing that there is that camera there,” he said.
Gene Burton, University Police Department chief of police, sponsored the legislation and said the university is working toward expanding security cameras in parking areas.
“I think we could use an upgrade in that technology,” he said. “Cameras provide an element of safety and security for patrons that use those lots if they are out there late at night.”
Burton said the most common issue in parking lots is theft of personal items from cars. He said it’s rare for people to steal cars, but it does happen.
Kevin Kenyon, associate vice president of facilities, said the existing cameras near the stadium and Johnson B were added more than five years ago as a response to incidents at the time.
“In the stadium lot, we had a number of incidents of theft, vandalism and physical aggression issues and same thing in the lot west of Johnson because it is more isolated,” he said. “It was kind of wild and crazy out there.”
He said his daughter was a student before the cameras were installed and major damage was done to her vehicle.
Kenyon said he hasn’t heard of any serious incidents since then and does not think it is as bad of an issue now.
The legislation still has to move through the rest of the university’s governance system. Kenyon said it’s possible this could become reality, but cost is an issue.
Information for how much this project would cost is unknown because it is in the preliminary stages.
“It is feasible,” he said. “One of the other reasons we put [cameras] in those two parking lots [is] they have tall light poles. There may be issues about elevation and location, but I’m sure there are solutions for everything.”
Kubel does not expect to see results right away because of funding, but he said this is a good step.
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