NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WTVF) — MTSU is investing major money in safety upgrades to protect students, faculty and visitors.
This week the university announced $1.8 million in grants to fund new technology and safety systems.
MTSU landed the funds from the Office of Criminal Justice Programs’ Higher Education Safety Grant within the Tennessee Department of Finance and Administration earlier this year as part of a larger pot of $30 million split between other state higher education institutions.
The department also earned a $5,000 High Visibility Enforcement Grant from the Tennessee Highway Safety Office to improve traffic safety across campus.
Campus police will buy new in-car radios that will allow their officers to be in touch with Murfreesboro police and the Rutherford County Sheriff's Office in the event of a safety threat, new weapon detection systems to make for safe environments during athletic events and solar-powered lighting to all bus stops on campus.
The largest expenditure will be to replace the existing lighting in the parking lots with LED lighting, which is brighter and more energy efficient. This will come with a radar speed trailer to track traffic flows.
The upgrade decision came after the police chief, Ed Kaup, formed a committee that met several times over the course of a month to decide how to allocate the money. Once the plan was developed, it was approved by University President Sidney McPhee and eventually the Tennessee state office that issued the grant.
The university is working to add the enhancements by next summer.
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