Dr. Matthew Mariola led discussions on the major on Dec. 1 and 5 in Lowry Student Center (Photo by Saeed Husain).
Laura Haley
Chief Copy Editor
In a recent email sent to the College community, Steve Glick, director of Security and Protective Services (SPS), provided updates on continuing investigations and general campus safety.
“The Wooster Police Department continues to investigate the assaults that occurred along Beall Ave. … persons of interest have been identified in all cases and the police department continues to track down leads,” said Glick. “The cases then [will] be reviewed by the county prosecutor’s office to determine if there are any applicable criminal charges.”
In response to these incidents along Beall Ave., new cameras capable of taking higher-quality images will be placed in priority areas. SPS hopes that these cameras will allow them to identify culprits on Beall Ave. more successfully in the hopes of reducing or limiting incidents along the street altogether. Although the exact locations of these cameras has yet to be determined, Glick said that they would be placed in areas with poor lighting and shadows. Additionally, he said that he would be open to including areas that concerned students most.
“With the weather moderating, I am hoping to do a safety walk in the next couple of weeks so students can also point out areas of concern,” said Glick.
Along with the cameras, new signs will be added to warn those on Beall Ave. of video surveillance as a preventative measure.
According to Glick, the College has identified several regions throughout campus that have poor lighting. As a result, new lighting will be added or upgraded within these spaces. The College, alongside the city of Wooster, is also currently testing LED lights in order to determine if they can be placed on the islands in the middle of Beall Avenue.
The Wooster Police Department (WPD) will increase the amount of patrols along Beall Ave. Additionally, the College is preparing to hire part-time security employees.
In the meantime, the College highly suggests reporting any security concerns directly to SPS or WPD.