At least 100 more security cameras are expected to be installed around campus by this time next year, according to the University Police Department.

The police department’s security camera project has been growing since its start in 2008, when the first 13 cameras were installed. Now, almost 900 cameras are watching the campus, and UIPD has about 25 more projects open within the security camera project.

These projects are requested by individual departments and buildings at the University. Detective Tim Hetrick, of the UIPD Technical Services division, said Campus Recreation and the Illini Union have requested help from UIPD to install security cameras in the past.

“I go in and help them identify their security concerns and find out if there are any special areas that they want to cover,” Hetrick said.

The internal departments pay for the cameras out of their own budgets.

“We don’t have the money in our budget just to pop these things up all over town,” said Skip Frost, UIPD deputy chief.

The security cameras run on a system maintained by Campus Information Technologies and Educational Services. Ken Felsman, life safety engineer for CITES, said his department is responsible for the operational fitness of the network on which the cameras run, but the Division of Public Safety views the footage.

Although none of the camera feeds are actively monitored, Hetrick said the department uses the camera to solve crimes. Security camera footage was used in the investigation of the Feb. 7 arson outside the Oak Street Library Facility, 809 S. Oak St., which was initially thought to be an accidental dumpster fire, he said.

“We go back 99.9 percent of the time and look for a crime that’s already occurred,” Hetrick said. “We’ll look for somebody walking through the area or someone who fits the description of a suspect.”

Frost said he expects at least 1,000 cameras to be watching the campus within the year.

“They have shown to be extremely valuable,” he said. “They will continue to pop up.”

Given the number of departments and the ongoing construction at the University, Hetrick said he does not see an end to the security cameras project.

“Different departments decide maybe last year (they) didn’t want anything, and maybe this year they’ve got an issue they want to address with security cameras,” he said. “Honestly, I don’t expect for it to ever end.”

Sari can be reached at [email protected]