2008 Woodie Awards
Staying safe on campus
Security cameras raise financial issues
Kenneth Long
Issue date: 9/4/08 Section: News
Security cameras might be an option to deter crime in SIUE's parking lots, but Vice Chancellor of Administration Kenn Neher said they aren't the perfect solution.
"Cameras are not a panacea against crime," Neher said.
The issue of campus security has come under scrutiny again after a recent armed robbery in one of SIUE's many parking lots, as well as multiple hangtag thefts in the last two weeks.
One possible solution to the problem, equipping the expansive parking lots with security cameras, was discussed at Friday's Student Government meeting.
Neher said this is not the first time security cameras have been discussed as a crime solution.
About a year ago, SIUE hired an engineering firm to determine the cost and efficiency of cameras in parking lots.
Neher said after two separate studies, SIUE would need to install approximately 132 cameras to cover only the parking lots, costing $1.5 million alone and not including maintenance and replacement costs.
"It's not that one camera or parking lot is expensive," Neher said. "SIUE is extremely large, with multiple parking lots."
The lifespan of the cameras would be six years.
The results of the studies were presented to Student Government last fall and were discussed during an analysis of SIUE's security and safety.
At the Friday's Student Government meeting, members said they were hoping to get input from students about security cameras.
Student Body President Dominique Majors said Student Government is reopening the possibility of security cameras.
"We're going back to the drawing board with it," Majors said. "We'll be gathering information and will look into all the possibilities with the security cameras."
Neher said the possibility of security cameras in the parking lots wouldn't necessarily prevent violent crimes like the armed robbery last Friday, where an SIUE student was robbed at gunpoint of her purse and then kicked repeatedly by her attackers.
"Cameras are not a panacea against crime," Neher said.
The issue of campus security has come under scrutiny again after a recent armed robbery in one of SIUE's many parking lots, as well as multiple hangtag thefts in the last two weeks.
One possible solution to the problem, equipping the expansive parking lots with security cameras, was discussed at Friday's Student Government meeting.
Neher said this is not the first time security cameras have been discussed as a crime solution.
About a year ago, SIUE hired an engineering firm to determine the cost and efficiency of cameras in parking lots.
Neher said after two separate studies, SIUE would need to install approximately 132 cameras to cover only the parking lots, costing $1.5 million alone and not including maintenance and replacement costs.
"It's not that one camera or parking lot is expensive," Neher said. "SIUE is extremely large, with multiple parking lots."
The lifespan of the cameras would be six years.
The results of the studies were presented to Student Government last fall and were discussed during an analysis of SIUE's security and safety.
At the Friday's Student Government meeting, members said they were hoping to get input from students about security cameras.
Student Body President Dominique Majors said Student Government is reopening the possibility of security cameras.
"We're going back to the drawing board with it," Majors said. "We'll be gathering information and will look into all the possibilities with the security cameras."
Neher said the possibility of security cameras in the parking lots wouldn't necessarily prevent violent crimes like the armed robbery last Friday, where an SIUE student was robbed at gunpoint of her purse and then kicked repeatedly by her attackers.
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