Plymouth State Increases Campus Security

These are important emergency response tools that connect the caller to the university police and 911. All phones are pre-programmed with a location so that the caller does not need to state their location when they call. This is so emergency services can make an immediate response.

The incidents have caused the installation of fourteen additional cameras on campus. Some of these have been installed in residential halls in the main entrances and lobbies. The University is also considering putting cameras in locations with a high volume of people, such as the library and the dining hall. Cameras have already been installed in the HUB during the last renovation “The injured students have been a real concern to us. Although we live in one of the safest communities anywhere, we are not immune to the challenges many universities face these days” President Donald Birx said. “There is no plan at the present to increase the number of cameras beyond what we installed last week and the goal is strictly safety, not the monitoring of student activities.”

The University Police have also added more information to their website. There are weekly uploads available from the Plymouth Police Department showing what they have been doing during that time. Also a daily crime log of crimes that happened that day. This is to give the community a way to see where and when crimes ha ve happened around Plymouth. All of the crime logs are archived. There will also be a creation of a park area on the River Street property for safe gatherings and events which should increase the student involvement with safe activities.

There are also being other considerations to help improve the safety of the school. Smart phone applications are being reviewed to see if the features could be helpful in dangerous situations. It could easily allow the phone’s user to confidentially report crimes and tips, contact emergency officials, and offer several other additions. Possible on campus developments are being thought of like having a pub on campus so students wouldn’t have to go elsewhere.

The Director of Public Safety and Emergency Management, Steven H. Temperino, had this to say about the crime that has been happening in and around campus “One trend we see is that violent crime is not occurring at high levels on campus. The most serious events this year occurred off campus. The crimes occurred in areas near the campus or areas frequented by many people during late hours of the night and early morning. We also know that our most serious incidents do not involve PSU students. We know some of the most serious incidents occurring on or off campus involve non-students who are guests of PSU students or coming to PSU to socialize. For these reasons, conversations have been occurring to reevaluate PSU’s guest policy with regards to guests in residential hall. University Police have had very few concerns with our students.”