Following a tumultuous month in which a spike in voyeurism and “peeping Tom” crimes resulted in four arrests, the LSU Department of Residential Life is reviewing its policies and procedures to ensure the security of residents.
Steve Waller, executive director of ResLife, said during their regularly scheduled meeting Friday, there was discussion of reviewing visitation policies and procedures in light of the recent events.
Two incidences of voyeurism took place in Herget Hall, a residential college, while the peeping Tom took place in Middleton Library, a building not operated by ResLife.
Waller said the main focus of their reviews will be on requirements for registering visitors. Waller added that the University is in “pretty good shape compared to other SEC schools” when it comes to physical security.
The LSU Police Department typically has off-duty officers patrolling the areas around the residential halls at night.
Waller said ResLife will also review its own policies and processes, specifically those that communicate with students and how to stay safe. Ultimately, ResLife is a community where everyone is responsible, Waller said, so it is essential for students to speak up when they see something suspicious, in line with the “If You See Something Say Something!” campaign.
Because ResLife is a true auxiliary and takes all its money from students’ rent, there is no possibility of student fees being reallocated to ResLife for increased security. However, Waller said his department may reallocate funds internally to buy supplies or materials to create a better policy or process for visitation.
The first instance of voyeurism took place in March when two students filmed two others having a consensual sexual encounter in Herget. The two then uploaded the video to Instagram before being arrested for voyeurism by LSUPD.
The second incident took place late April when a registered sex offender from Marlin, Texas, Mystyr Terry Stewart Jr., was found in the women’s showers of Herget recording a female resident. LSUPD spokesman Capt. Cory Lalonde said he was likely the guest of a female resident also from Marlin, Kayla Nicole Crear.
Both Stewart and Crear were arrested and booked on voyeurism charges.
The LSU police department is testing new equipment which automatically scans and pulls up data on nearby license plates.
