Increase in people causes safety issue

With an increase in population on Southern Universities campus and in the Baton Rouge area, safety has become an issue.
Southern University Police Chief Dale Flowers request that all students wear their student I.D.’s on them.
“The evacuees they have bracelets,” he said. “So were able to identify our evacuees that are in this area as well as our students. ”
Flowers said SUPD is ready to challenge anyone that does not have an I.D. or bracelet on them.
“Were not talking about obvious folk. But those that look suspicious,” Flowers said. “It’s a preventive measure to help secure of course our students as well as the business of this campus; as well as the evacuees that are going to be here because we don’t know how long there going to be here.”
Flowers said he is aware that crime does occur as the past has shown.
“There all individuals that were here before all of this that look for an opportunity to commit a crime,” he said. “We’re doing everything we can to secure our campus.”
To ensure safety measures on campus, Flowers said he plans to keep the checkpoints going and currently has officers patrolling the campus.
“Right now all of our officers are working 12 hour shifts,” he said. “Instead of the normal eight.”
With Hurricane Katrina evacuees currently staying in the F.G. Clark Activity Center, Flowers urges commuting students who park in the lot to reserve the east side of the area for family and friends of the evacuees, volunteers and individuals bringing various items to the dome.
“Everything else can be used by our students,” he said.
Though Liquesha Williams, a senior majoring in secondary education from Port Allen, said she has not encountered a problem, her concern still remains.
“I think it’s an issue because of the influx of people,” she said.
Off campus the Baton Rouge Police Department have been working extensive hours to make sure the streets of Baton Rouge are safe.
“Since the day of the storm we had not had a day off,” said Sergeant Don Kelly, Baton Rouge Police Department. “We took officers out of administrative and investigative positions and put everyone in uniform and out on the streets.”
According to Kelly officer’s hours have been extended and any scheduled leave has been canceled.