Arkansas State University to add more cameras on campus

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) - Arkansas State University is adding more eyes in the skies to keep students safe on campus.

The university will add cameras to every entry point on campus, according to Interim Chief Communications Officer Todd Clark. He said the school will be able to know who is coming and going from the campus with those cameras.

“We’re able to monitor traffic patterns and see when maybe a vehicle arrived on campus, how long they were there, and when they departed,” he said.

The university has over 1,000 cameras installed on campus. Clark said the university would be adding dozens more at every entry point.

Gabrielle Brown is a freshman who works late at night on campus. She usually has someone walk her back to her dorm. The 15-minute walk can be worrisome, but Brown said she feels safer when the university knows who is on campus.

“It’ll definitely give me a more sense of security. If I see them, I know that there are precautions being taken place,” she said.

The cameras aren’t just there to watch cars and people coming in and out. The cameras will also have license plate readers.

“We actually know who are in, or who the cars are registered to when they come on campus that may help provide leads to solve a potential crime,” said Clark.

For Brown, the license plate readers are something that she said no student or faculty member should have any concerns about.

“I don’t think that it’s much of a hindrance for them to be checking our license plates in the first place because we’re meant to be here, and so just be weeding out the people that aren’t meant to be here,” she said.

The university said the cameras will be installed in about a week.

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