In the wake of a highly publicized dorm-room assault on a student and two burglaries last month, the University of Hawai'i-Manoa is adding off-duty police officers to its security measures starting Sunday.

Two officers at a time will patrol the UH-Manoa upper campus, the dormitories, College Hill and the faculty housing from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m.

Unlike regular campus security officers, police officers have the power to arrest suspects.

Kathy Cutshaw, vice chancellor for administration at UH-Manoa, said that despite the media attention, she doesn't think crime on campus is increasing. "We're just trying to take every proactive measure we can to make sure our campus is not only secure, but feels secure," she said.

Some students said police officers will help boost confidence.

Casey Chin, a 21-year-old junior, said, "I think it's good to have more security."

Crime at the Manoa campus has actually decreased 47 percent over the past three years, but community members and students were alarmed when two break-ins occurred the weekend before the fall semester started, including one in which an 18-year-old freshman was attacked.

UH-Manoa's most recent security upgrades are intended to allay some of those fears.

"These police officers will provide added security to UH-Manoa students and staff at night, plus rapid response in case of any on-campus emergencies," Cutshaw said.

However, some students aren't convinced the extra officers will make a difference.

"It's a large area. Two people — what are they going to do?" asked Jeannie Yamakawa, a 21-year-old senior who lives in the Hale Wainani dorm.

In addition to the off-duty officers, the university is moving toward 24-hour operations at the student housing reception desks and ID-checking in the freshman Hale Aloha Complex.

All the Hale Aloha doors were tested and re-cored to make sure all room and restroom keys work properly. Students who leave their doors unlocked may be advised against that by residence hall staff.

Parents in particular were concerned about the safety of their children, and the Parents and Friends of UH-Manoa spent move-in day reassuring them about campus safety, while at the same time calling on the university to step it up.

Meghan Lopez has not told her parents back in Denver about the two burglaries and the assault.

"My dad's a cop," she said.

And Lopez doubts the effectiveness of adding two off-duty police officers.

"I don't know how much it's going to help," she said. "A lot of services that our campus security provides don't really protect the students."

She said she has had to wait 10 to 15 minutes outside the campus libraries after they closed for an escort to walk her to her room at the Hale Noelani dorm.

Other times, Lopez has sat inside her car on Dole Street for up to an hour waiting for an escort to her dorm.

"I could have just walked home," she said.

Reach Treena Shapiro at tshapiro@honoluluadvertiser.com and Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.