Maryland installs dorm cameras to deter tailgating
04 November, 2016
category: Security
The constant battle for any campus residence hall is access control, and the public enemy number one is tailgating. The University of Maryland, like many universities, is well aware of the danger that tailgating poses, and as a result has decided to install new security cameras at entrances and exits to on-campus dorms in an effort to eliminate the bad habit.
According to a report from Diamondback News, the new cameras are being installed in phases, with the next batch of hardware set to be installed by February 2017. The new measures will apply to university facilities only, excluding some campus apartments run by the university and a private party. Also excluded from the plan are residences that do not feature main lobbies.
This university’s Residence Hall Association voted unanimously to install the security cameras last December, and Maryland’s Residential Facilities began installing the cameras in January.
University officials say that the goal of the new cameras is twofold — to decrease theft and to facilitate investigations of theft or other incidents.
University of Maryland Police say the cameras have been used to investigate at least two cases on the campus already, and will be used to assist with review of incidents occurring inside and outside of buildings. Funds to support the installation of the camera hardware came from the operational funds of the university’s Residential Facilities.
When it comes to securing a residence hall, the effectiveness of the security measures will always be subject to the residents themselves. Cameras will certainly add a layer of security, but tailgating it a problem that needs to be addressed at a student level through proper education and access policy reinforcement.
