Issue date: 1/17/08 Section:News
The university is locking down security this semester after two armed robberies jeopardized UTC students during the winter break.
According to police reports, two males were approached near Guerry Apartments by two armed suspects Dec. 8 around 9 p.m.
After taking the handgun from his pants, the suspect held the gun to one of the males' head stating, "Hand me your s**t."
The suspects took the two males' wallets and fled the scene. The males immediately reported the incident to campus police.
As a result, campus police in coordinated efforts with the Chattanooga Police, saturated the campus with police patrol, Robert Ratchford, chief of campus police, said.
The current investigating officer on the case, Sgt. Karen Ferrow of campus police said after viewing video surveillance from Walmart and gas stations, one suspect has been identified, charged and put in jail.
Ferrow said students should be cooperative in a similar situation, due to numerous unknowns such as demeanor and drug or alcohol use.
"Give [robbers] whatever they ask for. We can replace money and credit cards, but we can't replace a body," Ferrow said.
Due to "creative financing," Ratchford said, the campus police are adding four security guards to only patrol the housing areas, which have had the most reported crime this academic year.
Along with additional police officers, the campus police department has secured auxiliary funding to plant cameras in the high density areas on campus.
According to Ratchford, campus police will continue to implement alerts through e-mail, red phones in classrooms and soon in text messages through Rave Wireless.
"We want to become redundant in the way we warn people," Ratchford said.
Ratchford said students and faculty will soon be able to participate in large-scale mock disasters on campus.
"These exercises will be table top to practical scenarios," Ratchford said.
University level scenarios such as a gunman or a bomb threat allow campus police to review their strengths and weaknesses, Ratchford said.
For more information on security measures implemented by the university go
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