Morgan State University has experienced several petty crimes and at least one high-profile incident since the start of the 2023-2024 academic year — the most recent of which was an armed robbery at Morgan View Apartments on Feb. 13.
These events led Morgan’s students to voice whether or not they felt safe on campus even with the presence of security officers and campus police.
While some students have said they follow their own safety procedures, such as avoiding late-night outings and ensuring they are always with someone, others said they feel uncomfortable due to feelings surrounding questionable safety in university areas.
Iyana Chester, junior nutritional science major, lives in Morgan View. She said she’s felt uneasy since the armed robbery as both she and her friend met the suspects the night of the robbery.
“I was driving back to my dorm and saw three guys behind my car. When I was getting out one of them asked if my friend knew what building this was,” she said. “I got a bad feeling and saw that they obviously didn’t have keys to get in so I drove back to my friend’s house.”
Following the robbery, Chester said she observed the changes in security presence at the dorm. “They have police at Morgan View now which is safer because security guards can only do so much if someone has a weapon,” she said.
Lance Hatcher, chief of police at the Office of Police & Public Safety, said the office has responded to reports of petty crimes and continues to use the protocols, services and procedures needed to ensure everyone’s safety on campus.
“We have police officers and security officers that are employed by Morgan [and] strategically positioned throughout campus buildings,” he said. “Additionally, we have a contractual security company that we collaborate with that provides additional security in on-campus residence halls and off-campus housing areas.”
Sidney Moore, a freshman majoring in elementary education, resides on campus. According to her, she has not observed the security guards putting in the additional effort since the mass shooting on Oct. 3, 2023 — which has led her to doubt their commitment to their duties.
“It seems like recently the MSU police and security guards are so laid back and not doing the job to the best of their abilities. It’s hard to tell if they have the student’s best interest at heart in regards to our safety, ” Moore said.
Hatcher said the Office of Police & Public Safety’s mission is to provide a safe atmosphere and environment for professors to teach and for students to learn.
“There are more than 2,250 camera views accessible on campus,” said Hatcher. “We can review camera footage to identify potential suspects if any incident occurs. The institution keeps a close eye on daily reports and examines historical data to spot any emerging trends.”
Hatcher said there are vehicles, bicycles, and segway patrols as well as safety escorts available to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The Office of Police & Public Safety also offers programs to students throughout the academic year, such as MSU alerts, high-visibility, and increased patrols to further improve campus safety.
“If you have to get ready, you’re not prepared. So we try to stay ready,” said Hatcher.“It’s important for students to be able to focus on their education and not need to worry about safety.”
Any student, or faculty member can contact campus security by calling 443-885-3103.
