During the days immediately following the homecoming shooting that left two visitors to the campus wounded, leaders at Bowie State University have been reassessing their security footing.
To shape a new stance, they’ve been consulting security experts, among others.
“Throughout the week we’ve had what we call listening sessions, and we’ve listened to students, faculty members, we’ve listened to staff members here, and also alumni,” David Thompson, a spokesperson for the university, said.
The security system was already enhanced before the homecoming incident, but now, more measures are in place.
“The electronic surveillance system, if you will, particularly when it comes to facial recognition–that’s employed now… We also have locks on doors now that will only be accessed via card,” Thompson said.
Some gates to the campus will close earlier, and access via the Marc train station gate will end at 5 p.m. daily instead of 6 p.m. Also, the Loop Road gate will be staffed around the clock with armed security. After 5 p.m., people will need the student bulldog pass or a valid driver's license for non-students to enter. And electronic license plate readers will scan all cars entering the campus.
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However, there’s still a balance to be struck; it’s a university, not a fortress, after all.
“I think the students know ultimately that we’re here to learn and we want to basically keep out the bad actors, so if we need to have more officers on campus, that’s what we’re going to do,” Thompson said.
The school is considering other measures–from regular active shooter drills to artificial intelligence systems that can detect weapons.
Meanwhile, the search for the suspects in the shooting continues.
