The University of Texas Police Department will add more officers, cameras and a substation in the West Campus area after the UT System Board of Regents on Thursday approved an $8 million hike in funding.
The money, which will be spread out over four years, will pay for 11 more officers, two sergeants, and a camera system similar to the city’s High Activity Location Observation, or HALO, program.
UTPD Chief David Carter said Friday it will take a few months to train additional personnel, but until then, police will work on getting security cameras up and opening up a police station near Guadalupe and 25th Streets in Walter Webb Hall.
The area west of campus has been a concern for the university for many years, Carter said. Although officers patrol the area when possible, the new funding will allow UT police to have a more permanent presence in the area.
“This is an enhancement to what the city of Austin needs,” Carter said.
The funding comes as the city continues its struggle to address the growing homeless population. For UT, off-campus safety concerns came to a head early last month when two students were injured in an downtown stabbing spree. At that time, Texas Gov. Greg Abbott called on UT President Gregory L. Fenves and UT System Board of Regents Chairman Kevin P. Eltife to take action to keep students safe.
Although the additional funding is a step in the right direction, Carter said it is not a silver bullet.
“We have core issues we still have to address,” he said. “The issue of homelessness, does that affect the issues that are occurring on the street?”
“The good news is that we, UTPD, will have more resources to apply to our particular area and support our community,” he added.
Credit: Source link
