Despite raised concerns after a student was violently attacked outside Middleton Library last week, the LSU Police Department said the Quad is not a particularly dangerous area of campus.
“Historically speaking, the Quad is not an area of high crime,” said Det. Kevin Scott, LSUPD spokesman.
Scott said the previous Student Government administration launched an initiative to use specified grant money for the University to purchase surveillance cameras for the Quad, but the cameras are not yet up and running.
Matt Fuller, assistant director of building automation for Facility Services, said he first met with LSUPD about the cameras a few months ago, but the cameras still have not been installed.
Fuller said Facility Services is waiting on the request from Joe Thompson, LSUPD officer, before installing the cameras. Thompson could not be reached for an interview.
Scott said he doubts the effectiveness of the cameras.
“Cameras are another tool, but I don’t lean on them,” he said. “They are not the answer.”
Scott said bicycle officers frequently patrol the Quad, especially at night.
“In the incident last week, one of our bicycle officers was one of the first people on the scene,” he said.
The female student was attacked while walking to her car after leaving the library around 11:45 p.m. on Oct. 17, resulting in a man unaffiliated with the University being arrested for attempted second-degree murder.
Scott said Middleton used to pay off-duty policemen for security when it stayed open until 2 a.m. but has not used the service since.
Scott said the rate for hiring a security guard is $41 per hour, and many campus divisions pay for the service, including sorority houses, ResLife and the Law Center.
Nancy Colyar, assistant dean of libraries, said LSUPD’s patrol of the area has gotten better over the years.
“I feel safer leaving after dark. It’s not quite as scary as it was five years ago,” she said. “Over the past few years, they cut down a lot of the bushes that used to be over 5 feet tall around the building.”
Scott said suspicious people used to hide in the shrubs located on either side of the library, which is why they were trimmed.
Colyar said the library keeps LSUPD informed about its hours of operation.
 
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Contact Sarah Eddington at [email protected]