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UM gets high-tech locks in security upgrade, Dearborn campus to hold active shooter training

Posted at 10:20 PM, Aug 07, 2019
and last updated 2019-08-08 05:52:07-04

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (WXYZ) — The University of Michigan says everyone’s safety on campus is their top priority. That’s why they’ve started installing high tech locks in the event of an active shooting.

Additionally, the Dearborn campus will hold an active shooter training exercise on Thursday.

The heavy-duty brand-new locks are now inside Mason Hall’s classrooms and labs.

This week, the school began installing them as a way to better prepare for emergencies, such as mass shootings which have claimed countless lives around the country.

Freshman Ayodele Ojo says she believes a faster system to initiate a lockdown could ultimately help save lives in the event of an attack.

Other students on campus who were unaware of this until we told them see the move as necessary, but certainly not the only solution.

The university says their public safety office is also looking into more tech upgrades and enhanced alerts.

Mason Hall was chosen because of its close proximity to the Central Campus Diag where many students and visitors gather.

Staff members we spoke with chose not to go on camera, but also expressed support for the upgrades to be completed by the end of August, well before the September 3rd start of Fall classes.

While this pilot program is limited to Mason Hall at this point, from here the university will be considering expanding the initiative throughout campus for better security.