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With approximately 35,000 students attending the University of Georgia as of 2010, campus safety is an important issue for both on and around campus in order to keep the students, whom are enrolled in the university, safe. In addition to the the city and county police, the university also provides its own police force which patrol around campus in order to monitor the area on an every day basis. Each student is provided with easy access to police officers, counselors, and several others whom one may easily talk to about any problems or concerns they may have. UGA police Chief Jimmy Williamson stated that, "It's about the importance of communicating with the public about how the police will respond, but it's also about outlining a partnership between the police and the community"(Weeks 1). Keeping the students close with the staff, administrators, or employees with in the university while also providing the feeling of a safe environment, allows each student to know there is always someone they can talk to. This may then decrease the number of under-reported crimes due to the students always knowing they can easily talk to someone about the criminal activity which occurred. .
According to a UGA news release article entitled, "Symposium on campus safety to be held September 11," writer of the article Matt Weeks, quotes Steve Harris, the director of the Office of Security and Emergency Preparedness, at the University of Georgia, when he stated that, "Although UGA remains a leader in implementing an emergency mass notification system (UGAAlert), we can always learn by experience and improve the system. It's also beneficial to review other colleges and universities' programs and the lessons learned from actual emergencies"(Harris). Although the University of Georgia has the emergency mass notification system, according to the University Police Department crime statistics, over the past three years there has been an increase in sex offenses, rape, robbery, burglary, bicycle theft, and possession of drugs.
