Morgan Makes Ten Strategic Investments to Enhance Campus Security

Dear Morgan Community,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 academic year. With the semester officially underway and campus life in full swing, I want to update you on some additional investments we have made and will continue to make to enhance security on and around our campus. 

Since the last spring semester, our Morgan State University community has grown significantly to nearly 11,000 students and more than 2,600 combined faculty and staff. This means that there will be more activity and more people on our campus daily. As a result, we must be ever more vigilant and mindful of improving campus safety and remain diligent in our security efforts.

Our elected leaders agree with this mindset. Recently, Governor Moore’s administration announced the Maryland Higher Education Commission awarding of $18.75 million in campus safety grants to Maryland’s colleges and universities. The grants will help facilitate improvements in on-campus public safety infrastructure. From this, Morgan received $2.9 million which we have already begun investing in strategies and technologies to aid in creating a safer campus environment. Building upon the investment from the state, over the past year, Morgan has committed more than $20 million to improve our approach to security and safety enhancements.

Last fall, following the tragic events of October, I met with our Morgan community to share our security response and strategic safety enhancements, both immediate and forthcoming. Much of what was announced has already been implemented, and more is in progress. The continued safety of our campus and community is an ongoing and ever-evolving process.

From our plan, the following major investments have been made:

1) Upgraded Security Camera System
The University has upgraded its entire camera system. We now have more than 1,400 cameras in service on campus, an increase of 41%, generating more than 3,100 camera views. Increasing our security cameras’ views of the campus by 44% means the majority of the exterior campus grounds are being surveilled 24/7. These cameras offer high-resolution images of people coming onto and leaving our campus, particularly those seeking to engage in misconduct. The security cameras are instrumental in preventing and solving crimes on campus as they remain focused on high-traffic areas such as the area between Thurgood and Legacy Halls and the “pit” behind Rawlings Hall and Blount Towers.

2) Increased Number of Sworn MSU Police Officers
Despite some normal attrition, we’ve increased the University’s overall number of sworn MSU police officers by 10%. We currently have a police force of 41 officers, and we’re hiring more. With the increase in officers, MSUPD has been able to increase patrols and engage in a more strategic deployment of resources.

3) Addition of More Security Guards
The University has augmented its agreement with external security services firm Allied Universal. As a result, we now have more experienced security personnel equipped with the tools needed to act swiftly when encountering potential situations that they deem a threat to our community. Additionally, Morgan has increased the amount of security personnel assigned to our campus by 21%. We now have 85 Allied Security guards operating over three shifts and 17 MSUPD-managed security guards positioned throughout campus. A greater concentration of security personnel has been deployed to the Marshall and Rawlings Dining Halls, the Morgan Commons area, and the North Campus.

4) Upgraded and Repaired Campus Blue Light Emergency Phones
The campus blue light emergency phones, designed to connect callers with emergency services quickly, have all been inspected and serviced where warranted. We’ve increased the number of operational emergency blue light phones on campus by 30%. There are now 100 blue light phones available and operational throughout campus. We are also planning to add additional blue light phones to other key travel areas, such as along Stadium Way Road.

5) Perimeter Security Barriers Installed
National experts have recommended that perimeter security barriers should figure prominently into the overall security strategy for open campuses like ours, particularly in urban areas. One of the primary goals of the perimeter barriers is to drive more ingress pedestrian traffic to defined entry points where security personnel and/or AI-aided technology can then be more strategically deployed. To date, 85% of the campus perimeter, identified for security enhancement, now has a barrier fence in place. Over the summer, the University completed the installation of exterior security barriers along the perimeter of West Campus (Morgan Business Center, Jenkins Hall) and the new Health and Human Services Center. Next, we will extend the barrier along Argonne Drive and Cold Spring Lane.

6) Upgraded Outside Lighting on Campus
The University conducted a campus lighting study, which resulted in campuswide lighting upgrades. To date, 2,539 exterior campus lights have been upgraded and fixed. This project is ever evolving, and as we identify additional “dark spots,” they will be immediately addressed. We are also working with the City of Baltimore to repair and/or upgrade the lighting along the city streets surrounding the perimeter of our campus.

7) Employing the Use of License Plate Readers
The university has incorporated the use of license plate reader (LPR) systems as part of its efforts to solve crimes and/or deter bad actors from using vehicles to commit crimes. LPR systems enable real-time monitoring of vehicle movements for a quick response to potential security threats or criminal activities. LPR technology can contribute to overall crime prevention by providing high accuracy in license plate recognition. The LPR technology has been placed strategically at key points on or around Morgan’s campus. MSUPD is also looking to add this technology to patrol vehicles.

8) MSUPD Safety Training
Last spring, our MSUPD participated in federal government-sponsored active shooter threat training. The training included physical security assessment, tactical medical training for first responders, and the active shooter threat training program. Additionally, the MSUPD has begun planning and conducting training for our campus community in the areas of active shooter/Run Hide Fight, CPR, first aid, and the Rape Aggression Defense (RAD) System. Members of the Morgan community can request training for their areas by emailing SafetyTraining@morgan.edu.

9) New Patrol Vehicles Added
Coinciding with the increase in sworn officers, MSUPD has also increased its fleet of patrol vehicles by more than 70%. There are now 24 vehicles, including 10 new patrol cars. Officers are also deployed on campus utilizing bikes and segways.

10)Weapon Detection Technologies to be Installed
As Artificial Intelligence technology advances, so will our ability to deter crimes before they are committed. To this end, Morgan is moving forward rapidly to procure and install cutting-edge technology, enabling our MSUPD to detect concealed weapons on campus, quickly identify brandished weapons, or respond to discharged weapons. Weapons are strictly prohibited on Morgan’s campus and anyone found possessing a weapon, whether student or employee, will face penalties.

These are just ten areas where we have made notable improvements. As you can see, we have been steadfast in our efforts to enhance safety and better prepare for the encroachment of potential criminal behavior onto our campus. I urge everyone within our community to adhere to our core values, not invite strangers onto our campus, and “if you see something suspicious, please say something” by reporting it immediately to the MSU police at 443-885-3103.

In October, our School of Social Work, in collaboration with Morgan’s Center on Urban Violence and Crime Reduction, will host the first-ever National Conference on College Violence. This conference will bring together experts, practitioners, and scholars to discuss and address critical issues related to college violence. Not only are we addressing this issue from a practical standpoint on our campus, but we’re also delving into much broader solutions from a research perspective. So I hope that you will support this event.

Lastly, the University has been working on an enhanced security plan for Homecoming, and we’ll share details about that plan in the weeks to come.

Have a terrific semester.

Respectfully,

President David K. Wilson