The University of Louisville has announced new actions to promote public safety at U of L. According to a statement sent to students, faculty and staff, the university Department of Public Safety will be hiring four additional police officers and four additional security officers, expressing that they hope to hire prior-experienced or off-duty LMPD officers. In addition to this, the university has authorized the use of overtime for current officers.
U of L also plans to extend shuttle services. Shuttles will operate for later hours and will include trips to popular campus locations and housing facilities, including those located off-campus. The Student Government Association and DPS are currently identifying safe walking areas on campus that will be consistently well-lit and patrolled.
These measures come after a increased number of crimes this summer, which the university is partially attributing to "the huge growth in heroin usage not only around our campus but throughout our community and the state."
This summer -- in addition to several calls of domestic violence, non-injury accidents, hit and runs, drunk and disorderlies, mulch fires and reports of stolen property -- the university crime log has reported several incidents of armed robbery in student housing, armed robbery on the Health Sciences Campus, several cases of assault, a few criminal trespass arrests, and even a shooting near the dental school. One of the latest cases took place on September 3, when a student was stabbed during an attempted robbery near the Family Scholar House.
The university is urging students and staff to give more thought to their safety while walking through campus, including utilizing the U of L escort service. If you need an escort to your home (within four blocks of campus) at night, please call 852-6111.
DPS also offers annual safety training and will be meeting with 20 different groups by the end of the month.
To find out more information about how you can stay safe on campus, please see the DPS home page.
Photo courtesy University of Louisville
