A string of recent crime on campus has prompted the search for four new university police officers, the university announced Monday.

The announcement came the day of a student “town hall” meeting, in which university leaders addressed campus safety concerns with an audience of about 50 people. The discussion covered lighting, surveillance cameras, firearms on campus and nighttime patrols.

Senior Isaac Stine pointed out his concerns with safety along the north side of 17th Street.

 “There’s a dead zone where there’s a parking lot, a good place for police to be. It’s really a problem area for us right now,” said Stine, a member of Delta Upsilon fraternity.

University Police Chief Sara Morris said last week officers will begin a new initiative to increase interior foot patrols between 5 p.m. and 1 a.m.

The four new officers will be added to its fleet of 28 commissioned officers, and will be hired in an expedited search process, a news release from the university said.

“We recognize that several recent incidents have raised concerns about campus safety,” Morris stated in the release. “The crime rate is low, but no crime is acceptable. We will continue to send a clear message to criminals to stay away from WSU.”

During the town hall meeting, Morris said the new foot patrols would be focused on the interior of campus, and that the outskirts of campus would be patrolled by officers in vehicles.

Stine said his fraternity has been working closely with Ted Ayers — director of Community Engagement and Opportunity at WSU — to discuss safety concerns.

Stine said he sees less UPD patrol officers in the area on the south end of campus than he would like, but that he sees less Wichita Police officers than he would like, as well.

“We’re going to make our presence on campus more obvious than it ever has been before,” Schroeder said. “That may include new types of vehicles so we can zip across campus quicker, and security cameras in parking lots.”

Stine said he felt like the university is moving in the right direction with the safety discussion and the addition of four new officers, and that he enjoyed having a chance to hear from Morris.

Other audience members Monday asked about firearms on campus, simplying the email alert system for students, faculty and staff, and surveillance cameras in parking lots.

Morris said the idea of the cameras is being brainstormed, but said it’s less of a preventative measure, but more about catching suspects on tape after the fact.

Morris also said UPD is exploring mobile applications to be used in conjuction with the ShockerAlert system.

The town hall meeting was about discussion and dialogue, Ayres said.

“We can’t be everywhere all the time,” Morris said. “No matter how many officers we add to our agency, we still can’t be everywhere all the time.”