New Security System Helps Fight Crime at UK

LEXINGTON, Ky. (May 28, 2014)  ̶̶  Installation of the University of Kentucky's new high-tech security system began last summer, and now  ̶ ̶̶  nearly a year later  ̶ ̶  it has become a major crime fighting weapon for UK Police. 

Part of the new system involves strategically placed cameras throughout UK's campus  ̶  208 exterior cameras now and more expected over time. The cameras are useful for investigation of serious crimes and injury accidents; monitoring special events; monitoring severe weather issues; and observing crowd behavior at events. Already these cameras have proved vital for investigating numerous criminal cases and have been credited with swiftly solving and making arrests in three felony cases.

UK Police Chief Joe Monroe says the felony cases involved outdoor chairs stolen from the Main Building Plaza; an armed robbery that occurred on South Limestone; and most recently, arson of a car in the Commonwealth Stadium parking lot.

In the case of the arson, cameras clearly caught the crime on video, which immediately identified the vehicle in which the suspects were riding.  Other cameras were able to capture video of the car at different points on campus after it left the scene. UK Police released a video screen-shot photo of the car in question to the public, and within hours two subjects turned themselves in, Monroe said. Interrogation of those suspects led to a third suspect, and all were arrested within 25 hours of the incident.

Four main components are integrated into the computerized security system:

·         Video monitoring system that required installation of the cameras on campus;

·         Access control system into buildings;

·         Consolidation of ID badge operations for student and employee access to buildings; 

·         Implementation of an early warning notification system

In the case of the armed robbery, Monroe said a number of these components came into play.

"When the crime was reported, emergency notifications were delivered over loudspeakers and to all voice-over IP phones to notify the campus community of the immediate threat," Monroe said. "The remote emergency lockdown of nearby buildings functioned properly, and the cameras captured valuable evidence that led to the quick apprehension of the suspects.

"This sophisticated security system has become a major tool for our criminal response and investigative purposes. It has allowed us to respond to crimes quicker and increased our evidence capability, resulting in the rapid apprehension of criminals. Overall, this system is helping decrease crime on campus."

The exterior notification loudspeakers are part of the towers where the exterior cameras are mounted. The loudspeakers and voice-over Internet protocol (IP) phone notification are in addition to the UK Alert system that already warns the campus community via email, text and phone in the event of severe weather or a criminal act that threatens the campus and requires immediate action.

Also, several buildings now have automatic locks that allow UK Police to lock the buildings remotely.  Among those are the residence halls built since 2005, the Main Building, Patterson Office Tower, Student Center, W.T. Young Library, White Hall Classroom Building, Funkhouser building, Chemistry-Physics building, Thomas Hunt Morgan Biological Sciences building and the Veterinary Diagnostic Lab. 

The UK community can expect more facets of the security system in the future.  More buildings will be fitted for remote access; more outdoor and indoor video cameras will be installed; software will be implemented to provide emergency notification to all desktop computers on campus; and UK Police will be able to provide virtual patrol of campus to enhance its current patrol via police car and bicycle.

"Have no doubt that safety is a priority at the University of Kentucky," Monroe said. "We have a highly trained, certified police force working with a state-of-the-art electronic security system to provide the safest environment possible for our students, employees, alumni and visitors."

MEDIA CONTACT:  Kathy Johnson, kathy.johnson@uky.edu, 859-257-3155