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There will be approximately 70 surveillance cameras on campus by the fall semester, recording the Eastfield grounds 24 hours a day, seven days a week, Chief of Police Tyler Moore said.
“We think it’ll be a deterrent,” Moore said.
Jason Pierce, a DCCCD crime prevention officer, said that the concept of cameras being a deterrent has been proven through studies at other campuses.
“There won’t be any area inside we won’t be able to see,” Pierce said.
DCCCD officers will be able to see what the cameras see through any computer equipped with the right software. They plan to have that software installed in squad car computers, so officers can utilize the surveillance cameras whlle doing their patrols.
“The installation is going on right now,” said John Criswell, Dean of Educational and Administrative Technology. He believes the cameras will be installed by the fall semester.
Moore said the cameras wouldn’t lessen the need for manpower on campus. He said they’re always looking for potential improvement.
“We’re consistently updating our training,” Moore said.
Also, they’re considering hiring on more officers.
President Dr. Carol Brown believes cameras will increase response time if something like the incident of racist flyers being distributed happened again.
Criswell thinks it’ll benefit the college. “We think it’ll be a great tool,” he said.
The college got the approval to install cameras two months ago, Brown said. Now it’s only a matter of figuring out the wiring.
Pierce suggests one way to improve security is for students themselves to help. He says to report any criminal activity to the police department as soon as possible.
The Eastfield police department can be reached by dialing 911 from any on campus telephone. On any other phone you can reach the same line by dialing 972-860-4290. |