Public Safety is replacing and upgrading several of the security cameras in the Nebraska Avenue parking lot. The cameras ran on an older technology and often malfunctioned. The cameras are not always monitored but are set to record all the time.
Although most students feel safe on and around AU's campus, robberies in the area are unfortunately nothing new. Incidents like the groper in the gardens by Bender Arena three years ago and a robbery in the Nebraska lot in 2004 align with recent events; a woman was robbed at knifepoint in the Nebraska lot this past October.
Though the malfunctioning cameras did not contribute to the latest robbery (criminals don't know which cameras work and which don't), the update can only help to increase safety. Cameras can't always help stop a crime while it's occuring because they aren't always monitored but they do help in investigation of crimes and prosecution of suspects.
Public Safety usually does an outstanding job of protecting the AU community. Escorts are available to students who want extra protection while on campus at night, and new blue lights were recently installed throughout campus.
Where Public Safety failed, however, is in notifying the AU community of the latest incident. A few postings scattered throughout campus don't cut it. They should consider using the Today@AU e-mail system to provide details of crimes and more information on how to stay safe, since students may consider themselves more insulated from crime than they really are. A few more Public Safety patrols of the Nebraska lot couldn't hurt, either.
Many AU students feel that they are safe because of AU's compact campus and location in a wealthy portion of the city, and let their guard down. Remember, a healthy dose of suspicion is vital to living safely in an urban environment. Public Safety won't be there when you graduate.
