MINNEAPOLIS — In a newsletter sent out to students, faculty and staff, the University of Minnesota announced that they will be investing in several new initiatives to increase the security on the Twin Cities campus and in the surrounding neighborhoods.
One of the initiatives detailed in the newsletter is that at least seven "blue light" security kiosks will be installed on University-owned property along the streets of University and 15th Avenue. The kiosks are scheduled to be installed on campus by fall, and then in the central areas of the Dinkytown business district later this year.
In addition, the newsletter also mentions that the University of Minnesota Police Department (UMPD), in collaboration with Hennepin County, will bring on a full-time social worker on staff in August to help provide alternative resources for cases involving mental health and chronic offender issues. Furthermore, three police officers have been hired to fill in positions left open by retirements, bringing the total to 55 sworn police officers in the department.
It also states that the 'Gopher Chauffeur', a free ride home service, will resume for students seven days a week starting the first week of the fall semester.
According to the newsletter, the new initiatives will be in addition to the ones already taken by the campus such as equipping UMPD officers with body cameras, investing in the Rave Guardian free personal safety mobile app, and continuing to offer resources such as the 24/7 SafeWalk service (open to anyone walking across the Twin Cities campus or to neighborhoods adjacent to campus).
For more information on crimes or advice on using campus safety resources, you can visit the University of Minnesota's Department of Public Safety website or the Safe Campus website. To sign up for city crime alerts or find more info on public safety, you may visit the website for the City of Minneapolis, City of St. Paul, and/or the City of Falcon Heights.
