By Jared Fields, Managing Editor

Mabee Hall received an upgrade during the Christmas break. The freshmen men’s residence hall had 52 cameras installed in and around the building as part of a camera system for use by the ACU police department.

“We started talking about it in the summer, but it’s tough to do while occupied,” ACU police chief, Jimmy Ellison, said.

The 52 cameras in Mabee are set up to monitor parking lots, entries and exits, lobbies, stairways and other common areas.

The camera system is the second one installed at a residence hall; Barret Hall was the first. Mabee and Barret are the first of what Ellison called a long-range plan to get camera systems up campus-wide. Ellison said a plan is in place to get camera systems up in all residence halls over the next few years.

The camera system in Barret has proven effective. Other than deterring crime, ACU police have relied on it to go back and review video to solve cases.

Ellison said he hopes to have camera systems in Sikes and Gardner within the next year.

“They are expensive, but are an investment in safety,” Ellison said. “Camera systems are a proven deterrent, offer a safer environment and are a better starting point to begin an investigation.”

Ellison said before the Christmas break a rash of burglaries occurred on campus. He said it could have been prevented or solved with a camera system.

Ellison said Residence Life has supported the camera systems and is partnering with them to get the systems in place.

The cameras record video electronically and will be called upon once something has occurred. The use of the camera system will be controlled by a policy the police and Residence Life set.

“[Camera usage] will be very strictly managed and controlled by policy,” Ellison said.