Students, faculty and alumni should expect heightened safety measures at this year’s Morgan State homecoming celebration on Saturday.

Lance Hatcher, chief of police for the Morgan State University Police Department, said the police department will add more police presence through Allied Universal, 13 light towers around campus, elevated platforms to observe the large crowds and more.

Aside from the increased police presence, all activities will end at 7 p.m. according to Natasha Lewis-Williams, executive director of the Student Center and associate vice president of student affairs.

Though the annual “Tent City” has historically closed at this time, all parties participating in the annual “Tent City” will have one hour to clean up their area.

“Even though it’s homecoming, it’s still a space where people live. So, we want to make sure we give everybody that fair treatment to clean up and clear out,” she said.

There will be a grace period extended for traffic from leaving campus, Lewis-Williams said, but attendees are expected to start leaving campus by 9 p.m.

These additional safety measures follow last year’s homecoming where a student was shot on campus during last year’s homecoming festivities at the Montebello Complex.  

Maryland State Troopers, Baltimore City Police, Maryland Transportation Authority Police, Baltimore School Police, security officers and K-9 units will be present on Saturday, according to University President David Wilson

Hatcher and MSUPD also plan to enforce Morgan’s dry campus policy against the illegal use of alcohol and drugs, which are prohibited on-campus outside of university authorized alumni events, according to the university’s homecoming frequently asked questions. 

“We cannot allow people to roam the campus, drinking out of big jugs of alcohol and smoking marijuana,” Hatcher said.

He said the police department’s goal is to ensure all attendees safely enjoy Morgan’s homecoming.

“Our goal is to make sure that everyone that attends Morgan’s homecoming does two things, one, that they’re safe and two, that they have a great time,” Hatcher said.