University of Memphis campus police are making new strides in reducing the number of car break-ins and on-campus theft through the installation of new surveillance cameras around campus.
"Most of the new cameras we have installed are on the parking gates around campus," said Derek Myers, deputy public safety director. "It not only helps us monitor the parking gates, but also what is going on around those areas."
Campus police installed two cameras in the south parking lot, one on the Student Fitness and Recreation Center, one on the print services building and one in the Central Parking lot.
Plans to install cameras in the Richardson Towers parking lot have been put on hold because of wiring problems.
"We are planning to install cameras in the Tower's lot, but the problem has been wiring," Myers said. "We are still working on it."
So far, campus police have already used surveillance cameras to identify one suspect on campus wanted for theft.
"We actually used the cameras to identify one guy we had already arrested in a theft," Myers said.
Having a little bit more security is never a bad thing, said Michael Edwards, U of M junior business major.
"Anything extra police can use to catch these people is fine by me," Edwards said. "I would like to see someone actually get caught breaking into students cars."
Recently, police have been able to identify a suspect who is wanted for at least five cell phone thefts on campus, Myers said.
"We have identified a suspect," he said. "We are going to follow-up with the city of Memphis Police Department and will hopefully be able to make an arrest."
Arresting thieves is exactly what is going to make U of M students feel safer on campus, Edwards said.
"It is good to know that when students report a crime, it is not just going into a file," he said. "I'm sure it is hard, but every now and then someone has to pay."
While Myers said the extra security the surveillance cameras provide would help police monitor parking areas, patrolling nearly 10,000 parking spaces will always be difficult.
"It is very tough because there are just so many spots," he said.
Police have also had to battle parking lot lookouts who monitor police patrols for thieves.
"We sometimes wonder how often they are watching us," Myers said. "We had an officer sitting in the Richardson Towers lot for several hours.
"He left on another call and when he came back a few minutes later, several cars had been broken into. It doesn't take that long to bash in a few windshields."
Along with video surveillance, police are also increasing traffic patrols through campus.
"A lot of times we have arrested someone during a traffic stop and found out later that the suspect is wanted for several other crimes," Myers said. "You never can tell what else someone has been doing."
