Memo
Date: November 30, 2006
To: Ryan Worley, SGA President
Cc: Ryan Boettger, 2311 Instructor
From: Collegiate Security, Inc.
Subject: Proposal to Improve Z-4 Parking Lot Security on Texas Tech Campus
Problem
The Z-4 parking lot (see Figure 3 in Appendix A) is designated for students
residing in the Chitwood, Weymouth and Coleman residence halls making it the largest
resident parking lot on Texas Tech Campus (“Texas Tech Z-4 Parking Map”).
The parking lot is poorly lit and only has two surveillance cameras to monitor in
excess of a thousand vehicles. Students and their property are much more vulnerable to
criminal acts because criminals prefer the cover of darkness, especially if they know the
location of the non-discrete security cameras.
The safety of both student residents using the parking lot and their personal
property is jeopardized in the Z-4 parking lot due to its outdated and insufficient crime
prevention and safety measures. From May 1, 2006 to October 31, 2006, there were 32
criminal reports filed in the Z-4 parking lot compared to the 12 criminal reports filed in
the Z-5 parking lot, which is comparable in size, in the same time period (“Uniform
Crime Reporting”).
In addition, the Z-4 parking lot is located on the southern border of campus
allowing easy entry and exit for anyone, especially non-students with criminal intentions.
Criminals can enter the parking lot on foot from the south and make a clean escape into
the densely populated Tech Terrace neighborhood, a mere 160 feet away, in a matter of a
couple of minutes (GoogleEarth).
Anyone may enter and exit the Z-4 parking lot at their own will because the
barricades previously implemented to allow only resident students access have been
taken offline. In addition, the entrances and exits have no surveillance to document
vehicles entering and exiting the parking lot. As a result, criminals can gain access into
the parking lot 24 hours a day, year round without any documentation their vehicle was
ever there. None of the other resident parking lots on campus have barricades or
surveillance at the entry points, however those parking lots do not have near the criminal
activity compared to the Z-4 parking lot nor do they have as many vehicles and residents
using those parking lots.
The Z-4 parking lot is a prime target for sexual predators because approximately
50% of the residents utilizing the parking lot are female, predominantly freshmen.
Weymouth, Chitwood and Coleman residence halls have the highest percentage of
freshmen than any other on-campus residence facility. In general, females are more
likely to be victims of sexual crimes, “one in eight females in the United States is a
victim of forcible rape(“Addressing Violence in Oklahoma”).” Their vulnerability is
furthered because there is no protocol in place to educate incoming freshmen about basic
parking lot safety tips. “On July 16 [2003], an incoming freshman female was mugged in
the Z-4N parking lot outside of Coleman Hall (Adams).” The suspect fled on foot and
was never apprehended. This is an example of how easy it is for a criminal to locate easy
“prey” in the Z-4 parking lot, enter on foot under the cover of darkness undetected, mug
an 18 year old incoming freshmen female, and then quickly escape on foot without
leaving any evidence.
Another contribution to the problem is that the Z-4 parking lot has no posted
speed limit signs resulting in drivers traveling at unsafe rates of speed increasing the
likelihood for pedestrian-vehicle collisions. This is further perpetuated due to the
irregular shape of the parking lot which creates several “blind” corners.
It’s inevitable that if Texas Tech does not revaluate and improve their parking lot
safety and crime prevention measures that the criminal activity in the Z-4 lot will increase
and so will the chances of a student resident becoming severely injured or killed. In
2005, 25 burglaries were committed against campus residents which is over a 100%
increase from 2004 (“Campus Safety Report”). In 2005, Aggravated assaults committed
against campus residents increased 300% compared to 2003 (“Campus Safety Report”).
We at Collegiate Security, Inc. want to ensure the safety of the residents and their
property in the Z-4 parking lot. We will accomplish this by first thoroughly evaluating
the existing security measures methodically and practically. Then we will be able to
knowledgeably recommend improvements and revisions to provide a safe environment as
possible for the residents of Coleman, Weymouth and Chitwood Halls.
Current State and Complexities
Due to the lack of security measures from May 1, 2006 thru October 31, 2006 there were
32 separate criminal reports in the Z-4 parking lot. Of those 32 criminal reports, 16 of
those were a direct result of insufficient parking lot security measures (see Figure 1;
definitions of crime type). The remaining 16 criminal reports were alcohol and drug
related.
Crimes Reported: 05/01/06-10/31/06
Criminal
Mischief
Theft
4
1
Reckless
Damage
2
4
4
1
Property
Damage
Burglary of
Vehicles
Assault
Figure 1: Crimes Reported 05/01/06 through 10/31/06 (See Criminal Definitions in Appendix A)
There are only two entrances and exits into the Z-4 parking lot, neither of which are
monitored by surveillance equipment. This enables anyone, students and/or non-students
to enter and exit the parking lot with no physical evidence the individual was ever there.
Two security cameras located on light poles on the north end of the parking lot monitor
students entering and exiting the parking lot via the sidewalks on the north and south end
of Wiggins Hall. The Z-4 parking lot is approximately 420,000 square feet, it is
impossible for two surveillance cameras to monitor such a vast area (GoogleEarth). The
overwhelming majority of the parking lot has no video surveillance. It’s crucial to have
video surveillance of the entire parking lot not only to prevent crimes from happening but
in order to aid in the apprehension of people committing crimes in the parking lot.
There are 24 light poles evenly distributed on the western portion of the parking lot
however there are no light poles on the southern end. The southern end is the most
vulnerable to criminal activity because it serves as the southern border of campus.
Criminals can monitor student activity from a nearby off campus location and then move
in under the cover of darkness and commit criminal acts. Criminals can quickly enter the
parking lot on foot by crossing 19th street, commit a crime and then quickly exit.
Barricades previously implemented to allow only students with a valid Z-4 parking
permit to enter and exit are no longer in use. Without barricades anyone can enter and
exit the parking lot as they please. The original barricades required students to swipe
there “TechID” in order to enter the Z-4 parking lot. According to a telephone interview
with Danny Brosseau, Texas Tech Alumni and former resident of Weymouth, he
informed us that students and non-students without their TechID would simply run
through the wooden barricades rendering the barricades ineffective. The barricades were
being run through so often it became impractical to continue replacing them because they
weren’t efficient in preventing students and non-students without TechID’s from entering
the Z-4 parking lot.
The sheer number of cars parked in the Z-4 parking lot has also proven to be a major
security obstacle. Depending on the time of day and time of year anywhere from 50 to a
1,500+ vehicles are parked in the Z-4 lot. Monitoring all of these vehicles with video
surveillance is costly and requires a security staff member to monitor the surveillance
screens around the clock.
Informing the dorm residents on parking lot safety education would be difficult because
there are so many students residing in Weymouth, Chitwood and Coleman. In order to
educate incoming freshmen, Texas Tech would have to implement parking lot safety
education during new student orientation in order to ensure that all students are properly
educated.
Description of Research Project
Primary Research
Our primary research tool would be interviewing the students that live in
Chitwood, Weymouth and Coleman as well as the students that live in Stangel and
Murdough to compare the responses of the two different groups of students. We chose
these two parking lots to due to the fact that they are similar in size and they have about
the same amount of students parking in each but the Z-5 has half as many criminal
reports that the Z-4 parking lot has. We intend on standing by the exits of both dorms at
random times of the day to survey the residents. The survey would consist of questions
such as: Do you feel that there is enough police surveillance in the parking lot? Have you
ever been a victim of any crimes in the Z-4/Z-5 parking lots? Do you feel secure when
using the Z-4/ Z-5 parking lot? If not what do you think would help to make the parking
lot safer? What do they think would be the best way to prevent the criminal activity that
has been occurring? Participants of the survey would also indicate what they think would
be the best way to help prevent the criminal activity in the parking lots? Do they feel
they have been educated on parking lot safety tips and crime prevention? If so, how
much crime prevention and parking lot safety education have they received? In
conducting these surveys we want to find out exactly how students feel about the safety
of the parking lots and what they feel can be done to decrease the number of criminal
incidents in the parking lots. More importantly to compare the responses from the
Stangel/Murdough residents to the Chitwood/Weymouth/Coleman residents and see this
differences or similarities in opinion about the parking lot safety. By disseminating and
examining the results we would be able to determine what exact measures would be the
most effective and beneficial in order to protect the students and their property.
Secondary Research
To gather more information about the Z-4 parking lot we intend on interviewing
the Texas Tech Police Department to see what tactics would be the most effective to
decrease the criminal activity. We would ask questions such as: What safety precautions
are currently used to monitor all parking lots on the Texas Tech campus? Based on the
criminal reports from May 1st to October 21st, 2006 the Z-4 parking lot had the greatest
occurrence of crimes such as burglary of vehicles, criminal mischief, property damage,
reckless damage etc., why do they feel the crime numbers are so high for the Z-4 lot?
What differences between the Z-4 parking lot and Z-5 parking lot cause the Z-4 lot to
have substantially higher crime rates? Are there currently any extra precautions taken in
monitoring this parking lot because of the high crime rate? What would help the most as
far as decreasing the criminal activity in the Z-4 parking lot? Do you think that if the
students that utilize this parking lot were to be educated on crime prevention tactics it
was also help decrease the crime rate? What would be the most effective and practical
safety measures to implement? With what frequency to Tech Police Officers patrol the
Z-4 lot? What specific times of day do they feel students and their property are at the
highest risk for criminal activity? This will allow us to have a balanced and professional
opinion that will provide a well rounded and realistic perspective of the current problems
facing the Z-4 parking lot.
Estimate Time Table and Deliverables
Our research for this project will be completed by the beginning of the Spring
2007 Semester. In that time we will further research the complexities and limitations of
the parking lot security. We will also interview the Texas Tech Police Department and
surveying the dorm residents and evaluate their responses of the criminal rate and the
safety of the Z-4 and Z-5 parking lots. This time will also allow us to conduct an ample
amount of research to find what security measures are the most practical and efficient for
Chitwood, Weymouth and Coleman residents needs. The security of Texas Tech
students, their property and the University as a whole we would like to resolve this
problem as quickly as possible.
Tasks
Nov. 21Nov.27
Nov. 28- Dec. 5Dec. 4
Dec. 11
Complete
Proposal Request
Research and
Examine
Limitations
Formulate New
Plan
Submit Proposal
Conduct Surveys
and Interviews
Finalize and
Submit Report
with
Reccomendations
Figure 2: Time Table for the Completion of Tasks
Budget
Below is a detailed list of estimated expenses expected during the three weeks of the
proposed project.
List of Expenses:
 Consulting Fees
o $52/hour
o 40 hour work week
o 3 weeks on project
o 4 people working
o $52 per hour x 40 hours per week = $2080.00 x 4 people = $8320.00 x 3
weeks = $24,960.00
o 400 sheets of paper for survey - $4.00
o 400 copies of survey $.05/copy
o 400 copies x $.05 per copy = $20.00 + $4.00 for paper = $24.00
o $24.00 for copies and paper + $8320.00 for consulting fee = $8344.00
fee recommended by (Desman Parking Consultants)
Qualifications
Amanda Agnew
 ENGL 2311 Technical Writing
 Resident of Chitwood Fall 04 and Spring 05
 Currently enrolled at Texas Tech University
Kelley Barwatt
 Dorm resident at Texas A&M Fall 04
 ENGL 2311 Technical Writing
 Currently enrolled at Texas Tech University
Eric Eustace
 ENGL 2311 Technical Writing
 Resident of Weymouth Fall 04 and Spring 05
 Currently Enrolled at Texas Tech University
Lucas Fairchild
 ENGL 2311 Technical Writing
 Resident of Coleman Fall 03 and Spring 04
 Currently enrolled at Texas Tech University
Conclusion
I strongly urge the Student Government Association of Texas Tech University to accept
our proposal taking into account the significance of this problem. The current safety
measures of the Z-4 parking lot are severely insufficient in providing security for both
students and their property.
The sheer size of the Z-4 parking lot combined with the thousands of students that use the
parking lot daily make it crucial that the Student Government Association enlist the
services of an experienced and professional security firm in order implement practical
and effective security measures.
Contact Information
Lucas Fairchild, CEO of Collegiate Security, Inc.
Collegiate Security, Inc.
332 Industrial Circle
Lubbock, TX 79411
Office: 806-778-9899
Mobile: 806-454-9899
References
Adams, Ashleigh. Daily Toreador. 25. Jul. 2003
<http://www.dailytoreador.com/media/storage/paper870/news/2003/07/25/campu
snews/suspect.in.oncampus.mugging.on.loose1276887.shtml?norewrite20061129
2259&sourcedomain=dailytoreador.com>
“Addressing violence in Oklahoma”www.health.state.ok.com 29 Nov. 2006
<http:// www.health.state.ok/program/injury/violence/rape.html>
Brosseau, Danny. Personal Interview. 20 Nov. 2006
Floyd, Jack. Personal Interview. 28 Nov. 2006
GoogleEarth 3.0.Online Software. Google, Inc. 2006
Texas Tech Police Department. Campus Safety Reports. 2004-2006. 8 Nov. 2006
http://www.depts.ttu.edu/studentaffairs/campuscrime/
Texas Tech Police Department. Uniform Crime Reporting. Texas Department of Public
Safety. Austin, TX. 31 Oct. 2006.
“Texas Tech Z-4 Parking Map.” www.ttu.edu 11 Nov. 2006
<http://www.depts.ttu.edu/parkingmaps/displaymap.php?mapname=z4.jpg>
Appendix A
Figure 1: Criminal Definitions
Criminal Mischief- crime against property; the willful damaging of the property of
another.
Example: throwing rocks through a vehicle window or spray painting graffiti
Theft- The act or an instance of stealing; larceny (the unlawful taking and removing of
another's personal property with the intent of permanently depriving the owner)
Example: stealing an ice chest out of the back of a pick up truck
Reckless Damage- the careless or heedless harm or injury to property, resulting in loss of
value or the impairment of usefulness.
Example: A vehicle speeding through a parking lot and colliding with a parked vehicle.
Property Damage- is damage or destruction done to public or private property, caused
either by a person who is not its owner or by natural phenomena. Property damage caused
by persons is generally categorized by its cause: neglect (including oversight and human
error), and intentional damage.
Example: A vehicle reversing out of a parking spot and colliding with another parked
vehicle.
Burglary of Vehicles- the act of entering a vehicle with the intent to commit theft.
Example: A non-student stealing a radar detector from the dashboard of an unlocked
vehicle.
Assault- An unlawful threat or attempt to do bodily injury to another; the act or an
instance of unlawfully threatening or attempting to injure another.
Example: A non-student threatening to “beat up” a student in a parking lot.
Source: "Search." Answers.com. 2006. Answers Corporation. 6 Dec 2006 <http://www.answers.com>.
Figure 2: Map of Z-4 Lot
Figure 3: Map of Z-4 Lot
Source: "Campus Maps (Z-4)." Texas Tech University Parking Services. 09 Aug 2006. University
Parking Services. 6 Dec 2006 <http://www.depts.ttu.edu/parking/maps/parkingmap.pdf>.