As the University of Houston prepares to welcome students back for the fall semester, the University has made significant progress in its ongoing campus safety and security enhancements. Following a comprehensive 2025 external review, UH has successfully implemented key recommendations across infrastructure, technology and personnel to protect the Cougar community.
“Campus safety is an ongoing and shared responsibility, and we believe in being transparent about the work we are doing to continuously strengthen our security environment.”
- Ceaser Moore, UHPD Chief of Police
“The external review gave us an opportunity to examine our systems, identify areas for improvement and establish a roadmap for continued investment," said Ceaser Moore, UHPD Chief of Police. "We are pleased with the progress made over the past year, while recognizing that safety is never a finished project.”
Advancing a Multi-Layer Safety System
The University’s safety efforts combine trained personnel with physical infrastructure, modern technology and emergency communications. Recent major milestones include:
- Increasing Police and Security Presence: Added 80 new safety and security personnel across campus and expanded the leadership and analysis teams to better support UHPD operations. UHPD also continues to recruit for vacant positions.
- Expanding the UHPD Footprint: Opened a new centrally located UHPD substation in January 2026, increasing officer presence, improving response times and making it easier for community members to connect directly with UHPD. Planning is also underway for a new UHPD building to accommodate the department’s operational and facility needs. A third-party consultant is helping UH evaluate operational requirements and potential locations.
- Enhanced Security Technology: Upgrading 120 aging security cameras with advanced technology, with completion expected at the end of August. Optimization of the camera network to ensure optimal camera placement and positioning, as well as modernizing video-retention systems to better support public safety monitoring and investigations. The University continues to evaluate opportunities to further integrate existing and emerging security technologies to strengthen UHPD’s infrastructure. A functional analyst position has been created to lead this work and recruitment remains underway.
- Lighting and Visibility: Nearing completion of a $21 million campus lighting improvement project resulting in significant increases in lighting levels across campus. To sustain these enhanced lighting levels, UH has established a dedicated maintenance team to monitor and repair the campus’ comprehensive network of approximately 2,800 security lights.
- Upgraded Emergency Communications: Modernizing the campus network of Call for Assistance stations with LED technology and conversion to internet-based communications for better call quality and reliability. More than 65% of analog devices have been upgraded, with a target completion of September 31, 2026. Six additional stations are being installed in parking lots.
Maintaining a Strong Safety Record
These proactive investments build upon UH’s strong safety foundation. According to the most recent Clery Act data, UH maintains the lowest total violent crime rate among flagship public universities in Texas with 40,000 students or more. UH’s crime rate is more than 50% lower than its peer institutions — and significantly outpaces the safety metrics of smaller public and private neighboring institutions.
- In 2024, UH reported 7.7 total violent crimes per 10,000 students, the lowest rate among Texas flagship universities with 40,000 students or more.
- The average total violent crime rate for peer institutions (Texas A&M, Texas State, Texas Tech, University of North Texas, UT Austin) was 16 per 10,000 students, meaning UH’s rate was more than 50% lower than its flagship university group.
The University's safety and security efforts are designed to work together as a multi-layered system — with people, technology, infrastructure and emergency response capabilities reinforcing one another. As UH continues to grow, the University will continue evaluating and strengthening each layer to maintain a safe and welcoming campus.
“Our goal is not simply to respond to safety concerns, but to continually evaluate how we can make a strong safety environment even stronger,” said Chief Moore. “But most importantly, we are thankful to our campus community for the active role they continue to play in creating a safe campus.”
For more information, campus safety resources and updates on safety initiatives, visit the Stay Cougar S.A.F.E. website.