As a new semester begins, the University Police are implementing new security measures on campus to act on stopping crime before it occurs.

“We are more concerned about preventing a crime instead of apprehending students,” said Lt. Todd Henert.

The memories of last year’s Homecoming night assault outside Grant North still linger on the minds of many, and the UP are no exception. The department will be taking increased safety precautions this year to prevent a similar incident, Henert said.

“Students’ safety is very important to us, so we will make sure that we have a full staff and will also have extra patrol helping out,” he said.

The UP’s focus on crime prevention starts with heightened security.

One noticeable change being made is the UP taking command of access control into residence halls, which was previously performed by Housing and Dining staff, said Lt. Darren Mitchell. So when students check in after hours, University Police officials will be there to greet them.

The UP will also be present in Grant and Stevenson Towers at all times to be readily available to aid students in need.

Furthermore, the UP has also acquired two more K-9s, giving the department a total of three police dogs.

“In the past we only had one dog and it was on the day shift only. But now we are going to have three dogs that will be on the day and night shifts,” Mitchell said.

Also, every officer in the department has had Rapid Deployment Training, Henert said. This is a training exercise that prepares officers for any kind of hazard on campus, whether it be man-made or a natural disaster.