By Lauren Macovitz / Jambar Contributor
Video cameras across Youngstown State University’s campus play a critical role in supporting campus police investigations, deterring crime and enhancing overall safety for students, faculty and staff.
YSU has maintained a closed-circuit television, or CCTV, system for more than 20 years, according to YSU Police Chief Shawn Varso. Varso said cameras are positioned in public areas such as residence halls, building entrances and high-traffic campus spaces.
“CCTV serves two purposes — they assist in real time as an investigative aid in solving crime and as a crime prevention tool acting as a visible deterrent to crime,” Varso said.
Camera placement is determined through collaboration between YSU Police, the Office of Housing and Residence Life and Information Technology Services, with decisions guided by incident data and safety concerns. Will Rogner, campus security emergency management officer, who oversees the university’s camera systems, said the goal is to improve safety without infringing on privacy.
“Decisions about new camera placement are based on several factors, including past incident data, input from YSU Police, environmental design considerations and requests or concerns raised by the campus community,” Rogner said. “The goal is to provide coverage that enhances safety while supporting police investigations, not to monitor individual behavior.”
According to the 2025 YSU Annual Security & Fire Safety Report, crimes such as burglary, motor vehicle theft and stalking remain among the most frequently reported incidents on campus in recent years. The report shows that in 2023, YSU recorded seven burglaries and seven motor vehicle thefts on campus, with those numbers decreasing to two burglaries and four motor vehicle thefts in 2024.
Rogner said cameras are most often used in investigations involving these types of incidents.
“Campus cameras are a valuable tool for YSU Police,” Rogner said. “They help officers respond more effectively to incidents, provide objective documentation of events and assist in identifying suspects or vehicles.”In addition to the annual crime report, YSU Police also publish Clery Daily Crime and Fire Logs, which provide near real-time information about reported incidents. The logs list crimes reported
within the last 60 days, including the type of incident, location, date and current status. They are updated during regular business hours and are available to the public through the YSU Police website.
Unlike the annual report, which summarizes data by year, the daily logs allow the campus community to track recent activity as it occurs. Varso said video footage is often one of the first resources used when reviewing incidents listed in the log.
“In beginning investigations on campus, the first thing we look for is CCTV footage,” Varso said. “If we can establish the crime taking place on camera, we are usually able to go back from the incident in time and follow the individual.”
Within residence halls and university courtyard apartments, cameras are one part of a larger safety strategy. Olivia Cupp, director of Housing and Residence Life, said cameras are combined with controlled access points and round-the-clock staffing.
“Safety is our number one priority in the residence halls and our university courtyards,” Cupp said. “So, we do have a number of university-approved cameras in public locations.”
Cupp also said housing staff members monitor camera feeds at front desks and only review recorded footage when an official conduct or facilities report has been filed.
“We never just review footage for the sake of it,” Cupp said. “There always has to be an official university conduct report that is submitted.”
Once a report is filed, decisions about reviewing footage are made by professional, full-time staff members with authorized access.
Varso said all cameras are restricted to public spaces and governed by strict policies to protect privacy.
“We go to great lengths to ensure that cameras are not placed in areas or can view areas where individuals have a right to privacy,” Varso said.
While officials acknowledge cameras cannot be installed everywhere, they say the system helps ensure accountability and accuracy.
“As part of any investigation, we want to ensure that the guilty party is always identified,” Varso said. “CCTV is utilized not only for the identification of the guilty party, but to ensure that if someone had nothing to do with a crime, they are not charged.”
Rogner said the system is meant to support, not replace, personal responsibility or police presence.
“Cameras are just one part of a broader safety strategy,” Rogner said. “They help provide information, enhance response efforts and contribute to a safer environment for everyone while respecting individual privacy.”