For Immediate Release

What might have made a difference for Laken Riley?

Related to UGA's announcement yesterday of enhanced safety/security measures, we asked ourselves if these enhancements would have made a difference for Laken. Would the suspect have been deterred from advancing to his victim? Would these measures have offered Laken the opportunity to seek help, understanding she was about to be attacked? Would any of these measures have helped Laken fend off her attacker? Laken was ambushed and dragged behind the brush. She allegedly tried to call 911, but there was no time. She was allegedly sexually assaulted and brutally murdered. Layered safety/security measures that would have helped Laken are geared towards deterrence.

A Blue Light Box and even her phone were useless to her. What might have made a difference for Laken? DETERRENCE. Not all crime can be prevented, but layered levels of deterrence can make a difference.

What if the landscape and brush around the trails had been cleared back for visibility? She might have seen him approaching, called 911 sooner, or ran away; she was a runner. These types of efforts fall under Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED), which is routinely a focus of public safety experts. UGA's answer is to build fencing. Where? Why? Are you going to fence the entire campus? The whole campus (remote included) needs to be reviewed as part of an independent risk assessment to show gaps in CPTED. Show UGA where to put enhanced lighting, what landscape needs addressing, all to deter crime, and much, much more. UGA did not address use of CPTED, specifically rural CPTED. See rural design CPTED concepts here.

Cameras helped identify this suspect's presence, but we do not believe they caught this suspect committing this heinous act, as Laken was ambushed and dragged out of sight—many things to discuss here. The more cameras, the better, but it would be impossible to cover all winding trails surrounded by woods remotely or all remote walking paths on campus. UGA already has many, many cameras you don't see. How many more will be added, and where? License Plate Readers or LPRs are Flock (brand) cameras that can identify license plates on traveling vehicles. This tool helps police locate suspect vehicles after the crime has been committed but is not a deterrence tool per se. Again, how many and where? It is important to note that all this technology could not have helped Laken unless a camera had proactively caught the act in real time. ACCPD is now constructing a new RTCC (real-time crime center) to monitor active cameras across the county, but this effort will not include all the cameras within the UGA campus. Why? RTCC use by universities is ever-increasing. Georgia Tech has over 700 cameras within its RTCC network, ACCPD goal is similar. We believe UGA has an equivalent number that could be linked. UGA did not address the use of RTCC.

UGA discussed adding "safety and security personnel" where students regularly study and congregate at night - Miller Learning Center, UGA libraries, Tate Student Center, and Ramsey Student Center. "Security personnel" to be at libraries around the clock, limiting access to the public in evening hours (which they already do). We have proposed using safety patrol ambassadors (or security guards), outreach ambassadors, and courtesy ambassadors through Block by Block. In fact, we gave them a $1.5 million pilot proposal. Is their answer to a cohesive ambassador program to contract BOS Security guards similar to those used to monitor the downtown Parking Garage? Why is UGA so opposed to looking at a comprehensive program being used in over 140 municipalities and universities across the country? Their proposed use of safety personnel would not have deterred this crime as there was no mention to use safety patrols on bicycles, on foot, ATVs, etc., in more remote locations such as the intramural trails. A comprehensive, cohesive plan from a vendor who offers all the necessary options and takes on liability would solve UGA's problem of micromanaging "security personnel." UGA’s proposal needs to be more robust. A few security guards located where students congregate would not deter this monster's actions. Dimly lit remote areas where few people congregate exist all over campus, and those are of primary concern. Block by Block ambassadors provide escorts when someone feels unsafe which is not a routine function of police. UGA did not address need for escorts.

Extending the Lyft ride app from 6 pm to 6 am is essential. However, questions still exist. The Lyft zone includes most of the campus, but significant student housing is outside this service area. Will the service area be expanded? What happens if there are no Lyft drivers at 2 am? Are students to call a Lyft driver at night for a 6-minute ride from a campus building to a parked car within a UGA garage or parking lot? Or, from the Music Building to their dorm just down the street at midnight? Will UGA remove the usage cap of 4x per month at $7.50 for each ride? There are many reasons why physical escorts and safety patrols (eyes and ears) are essential for deterrence. The Lyft discount program does not address gaps in Safe Ride options.

These layered initiatives all fall under the umbrella of a Safe Zone. Retired Chief Thomas from USC is considered the architect of Safe Zoning. UGA public safety has yet to reach out to learn about Safe Zone best practice, including the possible use of students for video monitoring and safety ambassadors. There needs to be a mention of support for a Safe Zone to include all the appropriate safety measures we have enumerated, plus increased penalties for certain crimes with special prosecution. UGA doesn't discuss stepping up patrols within their 500-yard jurisdiction surrounding all UGA properties. UGA will not conduct routine patrols within this zone. Why? Throughout the country, it can be challenging to attract new officers. ACCPD has a $10,000 hiring bonus and is still down 31 officers. Their full deployment is 250. UGA police face the same hiring problem, hence the 20% budget increase. Also, it takes a year to fully train a police officer before they can be deployed. None of this budgeting will affect campus safety in the short term. Exactly how much of the $7.3 million will this consume, and how much is left for more cameras, lighting, fencing, and safety personnel?

Finally, it was noted that President Morehead met with senior safety staff, and every single requested initiative was accepted. This statement tells us that senior-level staff, including new associate VP of Public Safety Dr. Silk (former Chief of Police) and Mr. Jimmy Williamson (executive administrative consultant to Mr. Ryan Nesbit, VP of Finance and Administration, oversees UGA police budget), both ignored current public safety trends which we talk about with UGA all the time. Obviously, both felt that an independent safety and security risk assessment to determine gaps on campus was unnecessary, or President Morehead probably would have funded it. At a time like this, one would think our experts would welcome an independent review. Through independent eyes, this risk assessment is crucial to know how, where, when, and what resources to deploy. We proposed this assessment and asked the very same Parent Leadership Council who is helping fund the new security measures to fund the assessment. It was ignored. At this time, why wouldn't leadership form an Advisory group of students, professors, parents, experts, community business leaders, and local government? These requests still need to be addressed.

It is because of the many questions and lack of deterrence programming (Safety patrol ambassadors, RTCC partnership, assessment of gaps - lighting, camera use, functional CPTED across the entire campus, especially in more remote areas) and its lack of addressing police policy issues to better keep the UGA community safe, SafeDAthens cannot quit pushing and fully support their proposal of $7.3 Million. It is a start, a move in the right positive direction, but more deterrence measures as outlined in our petition are necessary. Too much still needs to be done. Ask yourself, what would have helped Laken?

SafeDAthens will continue to push UGA to do better. Please support our mission and sign our petition at https://change.org/safedathens/

Regards,
Lynn Gainous
Susan Monteverde
SafeD Athens Inc. 501(c)(3)
Extension of UGA Parents for Safety and Security