ATHENS — The University of Georgia released details Thursday about the $7.3 million committed for safety enhancements following the killing of nursing student Laken Riley in February.
The initiatives include a 20% increase to the UGA Police Department budget and a new unit of Campus Safety Ambassadors who will assist police by providing student escorts and monitoring the campus during evening hours. The university began installing emergency call stations, automatic license plate readers, additional lightning and fencing this summer.
“There is no higher priority at the University of Georgia than safety and security of our campus community,” UGA President Jere Morehead said in a statement. “We continually evaluate our safety programs in close collaboration with our partners. Our ongoing investments are strengthening virtually all aspects of campus security.”
Riley’s body was discovered by police on Feb. 22 in a wooded area near the university’s intramural fields. The 22-year-old had gone for a jog that morning. It was the first homicide on the grounds of Georgia’s flagship university in more than two decades.
Jose Ibarra, 26, pleaded not guilty to 10 charges, including murder, in May. Ibarra’s next court appearance in Athens is scheduled for Aug. 2.
Morehead approved $1.7 million for safety upgrades such as cameras and lighting the day before the homicide. A week later, the university announced it had increased planned spending to more than $7 million. Funding for the initiatives was provided by state resources and private contributions, the university said.
UGA did not directly mention Riley’s homicide in Thursday’s press release.
“In addition to enhancing security, these investments demonstrate the depth of our commitment to protect our campus community,” P. Daniel Silk, the university’s vice president for public safety, said in a statement Thursday.
The increase in police spending will focus on recruiting and retention to provide more uniformed personnel on campus. An enhanced security presence is planned for the Miller Learning Center, the Tate Student Center, UGA Libraries and the Ramsey Student Center, areas where students typically congregate at night.
The emergency call stations added throughout campus will incorporate security cameras, lighting and Wi-Fi to enable calls and communication capabilities. In the days following Riley’s killing, more than 25,000 people signed an online petition urging UGA to install call boxes.
More than 20 automated license plate readers will help police investigate crimes, the university said. And lighting upgrades and installation, including roughly 400 lights on campus converted to LED technology, have begun near residence halls and crosswalks.
“This enhanced lighting initiative is one of several new safety measures that are helping students feel safer and more confident as we commute across campus,” said Rock Rogers, a rising fourth-year student and the incoming president of the Student Governing Association.
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