UH Manoa Makes Security Changes

Written by Tim Sakahara - tsakahara@kgmb9.com

August 25, 2008 05:52 PM

Now that University of Hawaii at Manoa students are back in class and living on campus the university is trying to boost security. There have been sexual assaults, thefts and vandalism on campus. The chief of campus security says they are learning from past problems and will put more officers at buildings that have been repeated targets of crimes. The most visible security change on campus are two all terrain personal mobility vehicles. They can go 15 miles per hour and are designed to get officers anywhere on campus quickly. The two units cost a total of $21,000. "It's absolutely worth the expense. Safety and security are very high priorities for the campus," said Virginia Hinshaw, Chancellor, UH Manoa. "I think that's a waste of money because they could have used that $21,000 on cameras. I think they need more cameras than scooters," said David Copp, a third year student who says his dorm room was broken into last year and his laptop, iPod and other items were stolen. Other students agree improvements are needed. "Like putting a screen on our window because we don't feel totally safe in our apartment so maybe things like that and our lock on our door doesn't work," said Liana Takamine, student. That's right, it's the first day but her door is already broken. Complaints like that have led to bigger problems. "Like last year as you said we had some sex assaults and people going into the building so we added extra security to watch the exit doors and make sure they're locked, fix the locks because those doors are alarmed but some of them are broken," said Neal Sakamoto, Chief of Campus Security. Improved communication between the student housing department and security is expected to help. "Before there were kind of discrepancy, oh you guys are supposed to take care of it, no you guys take care of it, you know when you have that stuff slips through the cracks," said Sakamoto. They'll also close the Maile Way gate between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. so guards can focus on cars coming in the only other gate to upper campus to help prevent bike and moped thefts. "There's always, there's always going to be little problems here and there but we've tried to address as many as we could that we identified from last year," said Sakamoto. The University plans to renovate the Hale Aloha dorm buildings to add a new pass key lock system and cameras. The improvements are expected to begin this school year.

Last Updated ( August 25, 2008 05:52 PM )