Tulane installed 16 new surveillance camerasto the Lavin-Bernick Center to improve security.

The Tulane University Police Departmentinstalled the cameras during the summer and plans to use them thisfall to prevent any further theft or crime.

To prevent future basement robberies, thecameras will provide security tapes to catch perpetrators aftercrimes. TUPD Col. Cornelius LeBlanc said that a staff will notconstantly monitor all activity in the LBC with the cameras.Instead, security personnel will only review tapes when problemsarise. 

“It would take an entire department to justwatch cameras all day, but they will provide crucial informationwhen crimes occur,” LeBlanc said. 

LeBlanc said the knowledge of cameras willfrighten potential offenders and help reduce crime.

“The cameras are not a covert operation, andknowing that cameras are there is a deterrent in itself,” LeBlancsaid.

Tulane Information System Coordinator CharlesCox said that the cameras are located in most hallways and exits inthe LBC and also said they are intentionally visible as a techniqueto discourage crime.

LeBlanc said the ability to narrow downsuspects with these new cameras will be invaluable to a crimeinvestigation after an incident occurs.

Assistant Dean of Students Evette Clark was avictim of an LBC robbery last year. She had computer equipment,cash and mobile devices stolen from her office. She said she fullysupports this new security effort.

“The break-ins amplified what we needed todo,” Clark said. “More cameras would be extremely useful.”

LeBlanc said that a number of crimes resultedin the project’s development, not one particular event or certaincrime that took place.

“A 24-hour building calls for a different typeof security, and a number of thefts inside the building made theuniversity take action,” LeBlanc said. 

LeBlanc said he was hopeful about the newsecurity advances for the LBC, and credits security cameras withhigh success rates.

“They are very useful, [and officials] havesolved many cases that way,” he said.