Improved UNC Safety Plan Bolsters Trust, Deters Future Crimes

Public safety is an issue of great importance here in Chapel Hill. On Sept. 19, a student in Avery Residence Hall was robbed at gunpoint and a Granville Towers' resident had several items stolen from his room.

With crimes happening such as these, there is certainly a lack of security on University grounds.

There should definitely be an increase in security precautions taken by the University and the Department of Public Safety to prevent crimes from happening in the future.

The Department of Public Safety has recommended a few new safety precautions for students.

These include always locking doors to rooms and not allowing others to tailgate into residence halls. DPS has also stepped up security a bit, especially around Avery.

These measures may be a good start, but there should definitely be more drastic measures taken in response to the situation.

There should be a security guard or monitor at work in every residence hall to check identification and report any suspicious activity.

A plan like this is used at Appalachian State University, and there have been far fewer robberies and burglaries than in Chapel Hill.

The need for enhanced public safety is seen all around campus, not just in the residence halls; this is especially true at night.

A poll taken by The Daily Tar Heel back in April showed that 30 percent of students polled didn't feel safe walking at night.

Solutions include adding additional security patrols at night, putting up additional lighting and installing more emergency call boxes. All of these things combined would work to deter potential criminals and apprehend them if they do decide to strike.

There are a few negatives to this plan. The addition of security guards who check IDs in residence halls will be quite restrictive.

The bigger negative is the high cost of the plan; the added security personnel and equipment will be quite expensive.

In the end, it all comes down to one question.

What do students and the university value more -- independence and money, or their safety?

If safety is the answer, implementing these heightened security and safety measures should put an end to concerns and restore confidence in the safety of our campus.

Drew Myers
Freshman
Business
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