Northwestern Announces Security Improvements Following Robberies
Northwestern police will increase their presence and visibility around campus to improve security.
Northwestern Police Chief Bruce Lewis also asked for the campus communities help in staying safe.
Northwestern University announced it is taking several steps to improve campus security following a series of robberies on the Chicago campus in recent months.
The security enhancements are designed to better protect the communities on the Chicago campus and Northwestern Memorial Hospital and to increase police officer visibility.
The changes university police have already made include adding security officers to elevator lobbies, parking garage elevators and on each floor of campus parking garages between 7 a.m. and 11 p.m. The overall number of police officers on Northwestern’s Chicago campus has also increased at all times, including on the corners of intersections and other visible locations to maximize police presence.
The university is also working with Northwestern Memorial Hospital to increase officer presence during key shift changes, and will continue to provide safety escorts to all members of the university community who request it.
Finally, the university police will further collaborate with the 18th District of the Chicago Police Department on campus safety strategies and resource-sharing initiatives.
In a letter written to the Northwestern community, Chief of Police Bruce A. Lewis asked for faculty, staff and student assistance in preventing crime on campus.
“We ask your assistance by staying alert when traveling on or off campus, especially at night, keeping electronics stored out of sight and avoiding being distracted by a phone or other device while walking in the area,” Chief Lewis wrote.
The announcements follow a string of recent robberies on Northwestern’s Chicago campus. Chief Lewis assured the community his department was “aggressively” following up on those crimes, noting that the offenders in two recent robberies have already been apprehended.
“We continue to work with Chicago Police in locating and arresting the offenders in the other incidents,” Chief Lewis said. “At this time, it does not appear that the same individuals are involved in more than one of the robberies.”
Chicago police released photos and descriptions of suspects in a robbery of a student that occurred on Sunday, although no arrests have been made.
Chief Lewis also said there have been no indications that the campus or its community is being targeted. Northwestern will host town hall meetings this week to further discuss the recent crimes.
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