The University of Kentucky (UK) is installing 2,000 security cameras on their campus as part of a $5 million project, but some are concerned about a possible privacy breach, the Lexington Herald-Leader reported.
The new system also includes new ID cards and can detect when a student enters a building after it has been closed. The system can also lock down a building from a different location.
Also included in the new security system are 26 "blue phones," also with video cameras. The emergency phone locations will come with early warning speakers to compliment the school's emergency alert system of text, email and phone messages.
"This will allow us unprecedented capability for monitoring the campus for crime and protecting our students, employees and visitors in the event of emergencies, including natural disasters or large-scale acts of criminal behavior," said UK Police Chief Joe Monroe. "We're trying to leverage technology instead of manpower."
The new security system is a long-awaited update for the school. ID cards can now gain students and faculty access to buildings, a feature included at many schools nationwide. Buildings will now be open all day, but after hours, a person will need an ID card to gain access, keeping records of who was in the building.
The new surveillance update has caused worry for Kentucky's chapter of the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), said spokeswoman Amber Duke.
"You're capturing a lot of information about people who are completely innocent," she said. "That's a lot of information that could be misused. It's always good for the public to have a conversation about it."
Her primary concern is the school not disclosing how long surveillance footage would be kept and how exactly it would be used.
Still incidents like the Virginia Tech shooting have caused many schools nationwide to upgrade their security systems. Chris Blake, of the International Association of Campus Law Enforcement in West Hartford, Conn., said the added security is a good safety measure, but it can be taken too far.
"A number of campuses have purchased TV systems and have cameras on various locations around campuses," Blake said. "But with closed circuit TV cameras, there are areas you can film and areas you probably shouldn't."
