LAPD, USC beef up campus security

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LOS ANGELES, April 27 (UPI) -- The Los Angeles Police Department is reinforcing security around the University of Southern California following the deaths of two students near campus.

USC and the LAPD worked together to come up with new security measures for the campus and surrounding area, the Los Angeles Times reported.

Officials said Thursday the area will have 30 extra police officers who will increase patrols and conduct more frequent checks on local gang members.

"This will provide a significant increase in police presence around USC," LAPD spokesman Andrew Smith said.

In addition to a larger police force, more security cameras will be installed in the area and official police crime data will be shared with USC officials.

USC will also be trimming overgrown trees in the area that have been blocking street lights.

"We got permission from the city to trim city-owned trees at our expense," USC public safety Capt. David Carlisle said. "The city has also allowed us to put security cameras on city light posts and change in brighter, more energy-efficient light bulbs."

The university will cover most of the personnel costs for the new officers, officials said.

The beefed-up security measures came two weeks after two graduate students from China, Ming Qu and Ying Wu, both 23, were shot and killed while chatting in a car. Property belonging to the students was later found to be missing, leading investigators to believe robbery was the motive in the slaying. No one has been arrested in the case.

A week later, a campus police officer shot and wounded a man suspected of robbing four students other at gunpoint. The students were not injured.