Three Rivers Community College working to beef up security with lighting, surveillance, other measures

POPLAR BLUFF, Mo. -- Three Rivers Community College has been working to improve security the past few months, an effort motivated by a number of incidents.

In 2007, a string of thefts were discovered at the college. Cases of embezzlement in the business office and the bookstore were both brought to justice, and there was an unsolved break-in.

Around the same time, the Virginia Tech massacre took place, putting pressure on colleges throughout the country to go on the offensive, according to Three Rivers officials.

"Our concern is obviously to protect our most precious assets at the college, which is our students, their kids and of course places where money is transferred," said Todd Weimer, chair of the safety and security committee, which was formed in the fall.

Robbie Myers, vice president for administration and governmental affairs, began meeting with the Poplar Bluff Police Department last spring to identify ways to prevent crime, or at least help capture offenders.

Soon several light poles were installed along a back road on campus at a total cost of about $5,000. By June, college trustees approved of Myers putting out bids for a surveillance system, which had a base price of $25,000.

"We're working towards student safety," said Bill Faries, campus chief of security. "It's a learning process, but we'll get there."

Faries is one of three full-time security officers, and there are 12 more who work on campus part time. There are also several security cameras on campus.

Simon Eyez Surveillance and Security has been contracted by the college to update the system. In the last five years, the local company has looked into ways to secure the perimeters of various operations. For example, Simon recently installed a 64-camera system with 4 1/2 miles of cable in the Poplar Bluff Industrial Park.

"A camera is a witness that can provide documentation that is unbiased and has an accurate memory," said John Simon, the owner of Simon Eyez. "It's amazing how the presence of that third-eye perspective can improve your overall safety, and it can really pay for itself in terms of recovery."

Simon used to run a vending company, and one day he realized his revenue was coming up short, he said. He installed a video camera and was able to expose a bookkeeper for stealing about $15,000 from his business over the course of three years. Once he found capturing footage can be such an "ironclad protection measure," he went into the surveillance business, he said.

It is part of the technology age, he said. He said he even has cameras monitoring his four children at home. He does not consider this type of invasion Big Brother, joking, "It's called 'big dad.'"

Other minor changes are being made to improve Three Rivers' security, Weimer said. Emergency contact stickers are being placed by all classroom phones, interior locks are being installed on classroom doors, and a text message and e-mail notification system is being developed.

Two emergency phone towers will also be established, along with a wall unit. The towers will feature emergency intercoms that lead to the guard shack and an amplification system for emergency announcements such as tornado warnings.

Poplar Bluff, MO

63901