Kasim Reed Announces New Security System In Atlanta University Center

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The AUC Woodruff Library

Crime has frequently been an issue for the Atlanta University Center, but the completion of a $700,000 security system is aiming to decrease the area’s crime rate. On Tuesday, Mayor Kasim Reed and the Atlanta University Center Consortium announced that 35 new cameras and five license plate readers have been installed throughout the AUC.

Clark Atlanta University, Spelman College, Morehouse College and Morehouse School of Medicine each contributed $100,000 to the initiative. The City of Atlanta contributed $300,000.

“Public safety is the number one priority of my administration, and I am committed to working with our business leaders, colleges and universities and neighborhoods to implement smart, effective strategies to combat crime,” said Reed.

Morehouse President John S. Wilson is dedicated to making the AUC safer for everyone and he hopes the new security system will prevent criminals from targeting campus. The cameras are equipped with a 24/7 video feed that will be monitored by AUC police and the Atlanta Police Department’s video integration center. The cameras will stream to a server in the AUC Woodruff Library.

The new system is a part of larger initiative called the Westside Security Plan, which is a collaborative effort between the APD and the Atlanta Police Foundation. The primary goal of the Westside Security Plan is to crack down on crime in West Atlanta neighborhoods.  One hundred cameras have already been installed by the initiative throughout West Atlanta.

“The mission of the Atlanta Police Department is to create a safer Atlanta by reducing crime, ensure the safety of our citizens and build trust in partnership with our community, and I believe we will accomplish all of these objectives with this new partnership with APD and the AUC,” said Chief Erika Shields.