UP says no to bringing police onto campus

Universidad de Panamá (UP) officials have rejected a proposal submitted by a group of professors and students to have police officers patrol the campus.

The group submitted the proposal in the wake of a string of robberies on the campus. The majority of the victims of those robberies have been students.

The issue was discussed yesterday during the plenary meeting of the UP's Academic Council.

UP President Gustavo García de Paredes said that instead of bringing a police presence on to the campus, the council decided to recruit several security guards to begin patrolling the perimeter of the school grounds. He also announced that the institution would be installing a series of security cameras to help discourage criminals.

Criminal activity has become a concern at the campus, and students and employees have been asking for stronger security measures for several months.

Just this week, $38,000 was stolen from a campus office.