One of the key takeaways from Temple Student Government’s recent Campus Safety Survey was that safety concerns increase the farther students get from the center of campus and campus buildings. While 81% of respondents living in university-owned residence halls reported feeling safe in their area of residence, just 56% of respondents living in private housing on or near campus reported feeling safe.

Today, as part of a number of new campus safety enhancements, Temple University announced a security upgrade grant program available to landlords of private residences near campus. Any landlord in the area can apply for a grant of up to $2,500 that can be used for installing either lighting and/or cameras to improve security. 

“For Temple’s part, we are considering all options to protect the safety of our students, faculty, staff and neighbors in North Philadelphia. We have to be willing to continually think outside the box, and that is what we have done here with this grant program,” said Ken Kaiser, chief operating officer of Temple University.

To apply for a grant, landlords should contact securitygrants@temple.edu, provide proof of ownership of a neighboring residence and outline how the funds would be used. Reimbursement of up to $2,500 will be provided to all landlords with proof of installation. 

Housing is available for students who want to move closer to campus

As previously noted, data shows that campus safety concerns increase among students who live further away from campus and the patrol zone.

To help alleviate that concern, University Housing and Residential Life has housing available in the residence halls for any student who wishes to relocate to campus for the remainder of the semester. The office can also assist students in finding options to live in a private complex near campus well within the university’s patrol borders. To request housing for the remainder of the semester, please contact the Housing office at 215-204-7184 and select option 2. 

Update on the hiring of additional TUPD officers

Several applicants are currently undergoing Campus Safety Services’ background check process to join our Police Department, while 113 applicants are awaiting review for police academy training. Campus Safety Services hopes to place 12 potential officers into an upcoming police academy class. This is in addition to the 10 individuals who have been hired as officers or trainees as announced in the January campus safety message.

Because the hiring process requires a thorough background review and because it is imperative that the most qualified and properly trained officers are on the ground during this exceptionally challenging time, the university has invested hundreds of thousands of dollars in overtime to ensure patrols meet or exceed all historic norms. Through the new officers that have been hired as well as the increased Philadelphia Police Department supplemental patrols, the university has more than doubled the number of officers actively patrolling the patrol zone at any given time. 

Even in the recent incident that occurred near the corner of North Broad and Cecil B. Moore on March 18, Philadelphia Police patrol passed by the scene 90 seconds before the incident. Allied Universal foot patrol was not far away. The Temple University Police Department responded immediately and a young teen who had been tied to two additional shootings has already been arrested. The increased campus safety presence is making a difference.

Establishment of a neighborhood watch group

The university has begun discussions with neighborhood groups to establish a neighborhood watch program for the areas around campus. 

Through this new partnership, public safety ambassadors will regularly patrol through the neighborhoods in and around campus. Trained in crime prevention, these ambassadors will help amplify the efforts of the Temple University Police Department and the Allied Security Officers.

Additional campus safety updates from the university include the following.

• President Wingard met with Philadelphia Mayor Jim Kenney and Philadelphia Police Commissioner Danielle Outlaw on Tuesday, March 22. Together, they discussed a full spectrum of strategies to address the crisis of gun violence and what can be done to stem the flood of violence we are seeing throughout the city.
   
• Former Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsey will begin his audit of Campus Safety Services early next month.
   
• The installation of additional lighting and cameras will take place next month.
   
• Executive Director of Public Safety Charlie Leone continues to meet regularly with area landlords through the Temple Area Property Association. Together, they have identified a set of best practices that all landlords should follow in helping to maximize safety for students and community members in the area that surrounds our campus. He is also going to encourage them to pursue the new grant program.

Here are also some key facts regarding Campus Safety Services at Temple.

• State-of-the-art technology is used in almost every facet of Campus Safety Services’ operation. For instance, in the Communication Center, more than 1,000 cameras positioned all around campus are monitored on a 24/7 basis. CBS3 recently covered the department and how technology plays a role in helping to keep campus safe.
   
• On Feb. 14, Temple launched RAVE Temple Guardian, a new one-touch personal safety mobile app that allows students, faculty and staff to connect directly with Temple University Police.
   
• TUalerts are used to communicate information about something occurring that requires immediate action on the part of the campus community. These are only sent when there is an imminent public safety danger, and these only cover Temple’s patrol zone. 
   
• Temple’s Main Campus patrol map can be found here. The university does not have jurisdiction to increase the patrol zone beyond these borders.