The UWM Safety Initiative will involve: - Hiring five more armed police officers - Hiring four more security guards - Extending BOSS hours to 4 a.m. - Seeking approval to purchase two additional police cruisers - Approving a task force to review current safety policy

In reaction to increased perception of campus-area crime, the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee has taken action by approving a $500,000 campus safety initiative, in hopes of addressing the hot-button issue.

Announced on Nov. 20 by Chancellor Carlos Santiago and UWM Police Chief Pamela Hodermann, the initiative will involve hiring five more armed police officers and four additional security guards, extending Be On the Safe Side (BOSS) service hours, and initiating more night student foot patrols.

Campus police and up to 24 students will be dressed in safety vests will execute walking patrols from 7 p.m. to 4 a.m. The increased walking patrols will likely begin in spring and will provide more jobs for students and keep a better eye on the community.

“It’s a win-win for both sides,” said Student Association President Rob Grover.

Initiative money will also be used to bring in experts from all over the state to form a task force that will look at ways of addressing crime around campus. The 10-member task force will review UWM’s current safety plan and will offer recommendations in the spring. Additionally, the UWM Police Department will also seek approval for two additional police cruisers. In an e-mail sent to UWM students Nov. 20, Chief Hodermann stated that she expects three new officers on staff for the start of the spring semester.

One of the most appealing and significant changes for UWM students appears to be BOSS extending its running hours an additional two hours to 4 a.m.

“I don’t know why they weren’t increasing the time already, it’s more dangerous between the hours of 1 a.m. and 4 a.m.,” said UWM student Ryan Bilello.

“Better to have later hours so kids aren’t walking alone late,” added UWM senior Kristin Matzke. “Kids are rowdy these days, better getting a ride than walking.”

However, with BOSS vans being staffed by campus police in the later hours, some students are concerned with getting ticketed for underage drinking. Student Association President Rob Grover is unconcerned with the police presence.

“Officers are not out to ticket drinkers, but concerned with the safety issues of students,” said Grover, who added in the Nov. 20 e-mail that the initiative is a “great step in the right direction.”

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