UGA bolsters campus security with $7.3 million investment following Laken Riley murder
UGA will be investing more than $7.3 million to make the campus safer following the murder of UGA student Laken Riley, who was killed in February. The main suspect in the case is an illegal immigrant.
‘There is no higher priority at the University of Georgia than the safety and security of our campus community,’ the UGA president said.
The University of Georgia is investing millions of dollars in improving campus security following the murder of a university student, a crime likely committed by an illegal immigrant.
The decision comes after the death of UGA student Laken Riley, who was murdered this February at the school’s Athens campus. The prime suspect in the murder case, Jose Ibarra, is an illegal immigrant from Venezuela currently residing within U.S. borders.
Ibarra was arrested shortly after Riley’s murder and has been behind bars without bond since his apprehension by police. He has pleaded not guilty.
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“There is no higher priority at the University of Georgia than the safety and security of our campus community,” UGA President Jere W. Morehead said in a statement regarding the increased security investment. “We continually evaluate our safety programs in close collaboration with our partners. Our ongoing investments are strengthening virtually all aspects of campus security.”
The changes will be noticeable and total $7.3 million, including “new signs and perimeter fencing to lighting upgrades, emergency call stations and automatic license plate readers,” according to the university.
The new funding comes from different sources, including public funding and private contributions from non-government organizations.
“In addition to enhancing security, these investments demonstrate the depth of our commitment to protect our campus community,” explained P. Daniel Silk, the university’s associate vice president for public safety.
“The university has focused on continuing to recruit and retain police personnel who are exceptional. In that spirit, UGA’s compensation for police is among the best in the state,” Silk added.
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The university announced that it will implement a heightened security presence in locations where students gather at nighttime, and will convert hundreds of lamps on its campus to LED lightbulbs, increasing their brightness.
UGA is also installing 20 license plate readers and setting up more perimeter fencing, among other security measures.
Campus Reform has contacted the University of Georgia for comment. This article will be updated accordingly.
