ATHENS, Ga. — The University of Georgia is rolling out strengthened campus security measures after the death of Laken Riley, a nursing student whose body was found on the campus in Athens last week.
The university announced the $7.3 million public safety plan in a release Tuesday.
“The protection of our students, faculty and staff at the University of Georgia is always top of mind for me and our senior administration, and we are continually evaluating our safety programs,” said President Jere W. Morehead. “This morning, I met with campus law enforcement officials to learn their recommendations for further enhancements. Every one of their recommendations was approved.”
Added measures will include a permanent 20% increase to the UGA Police Department budget in an effort to boost recruitment and retention and to add more officers to campus. Additional security cameras and lighting upgrades are also headed to the 760-acre campus, with camera-blue light call box systems and license plate readers being installed across several strategic locations across the campus.
This comes after students called for the reinstallation of the blue boxes following Riley's death. New signage will also be mounted to convey the fact that the entire campus is protected by robust security camera coverage.
Lighting upgrades will include more crosswalks, particularly near residence halls with high foot traffic. In the release, a university spokesperson said nearly 400 lights on campus will be converted to LED technology, producing brighter light at night.
New perimeter fencing will also be put up in several areas around the campus.
“Every day, the officers and supporting staff of the UGA Police Department devote themselves to protecting the campus community,” said UGA Chief of Police Jeff Clark. “These additional funds will have a measurable impact on our safety efforts, supporting the excellent work of our dedicated Police Department team and our partners.”
Increased security personnel will provide a more enhanced presence near areas where students regularly congregate, like the Miller Learning Center, the UGA Libraries, the Tate Student Center, and the Ramsey Student Center.
The additional safety and security personnel will be focused on providing enhanced security presence where students regularly study and congregate at night, such as the same place mentioned above -- the Miller Learning Center, the UGA Libraries, the Tate Student Center, and the Ramsey Student Center. Access to the UGA Main Library and McBay Science Library will now be limited to only UGA students, faculty and staff during evening hours.
Funding for the new security measures will come from a combination of state resources, private contributions, university foundations and partners, the University said.
University officials encourage students to use the UGA Safe app, which includes features like a Mobile Bluelight, which immediately calls the UGA Police and shares the user’s location in real-time; a Friend Walk feature displaying a student’s location to selected friends; and a Chat with Police feature, which allows students to report concerns to the UGA Police Department immediately. Parents of UGA students can also sign up for the UGA Safe app.
To see the full list of security measures, visit the University of Georgia's website here.