More than 1,800 cameras have been installed all over campus
The ODU Police Department (ODUPD) has installed over 1,865* cameras in strategic locations all over Old Dominion University's campus as a crime deterrent tool. The Department's objective is to use current technology to reduce crime and promote a safe and secure campus environment for the university community.
The cameras, which feed to the Police Department's Communications Dispatch Center, though not monitored at all times, have the capability to provide evidence in the case a crime has occurred, deter would-be troublemakers, and promote a general feeling of security for students, faculty, and staff on campus, especially at night.
"I've seen the cameras all over campus," said Rachel Smith, an ODU employee, "It makes me feel safe to know that if something were ever to happen, I wouldn't be alone. People know that cameras are there and it just helps them to do the right thing."
The cameras are part of a broader effort by the ODU Police Department to utilize modern technology in the ongoing effort to make the university as safe as it can possibly be. The camera installation project was initiated under Police Chief Rhonda Harris' direction. She had this to say of the cameras on campus:
"The ODU Police Department is a responsive, proactive agency, and we have made considerable strides in improving the safety reputation of Old Dominion University, which does exist in an urban environment. Being aware of the city and all the potential risks that come with it, we believe we are bringing world class security service to the university, and it starts with using available technology to achieve our goals."
The ODUPD has plans to continue to install even more cameras all over campus, as these modern safety tools will gradually replace the more dated Blue Light Emergency Phones that previous generations of college students may be familiar with.
The utilization of cameras, along with proactive criminal investigations, high intensity patrols, hot spot policing, intelligence gathering, and other ongoing efforts, have helped the ODUPD to achieve a marked decrease in crime on and around campus. This is a major win for the community at large, and the department doesn't plan on slowing down these statistics any time soon.
*As of August 1, 2018