UC Merced holds safety conference with law enforcement, education leaders

MERCED, Calif. (KFSN) -- Law enforcement and education leaders were among the hundreds who gathered at UC Merced's inaugural Safety Conference on Wednesday.

Organizers say the goal is to improve campus safety and foster a culture of preparedness.

Attendees were able to go to several different classes, with topics ranging from reporting a crime on campus to active shooter trends and even animal therapy. Presenters included the CHP, FBI, and U.S. Secret Service.

"We brought all these experts into one space with that goal in mind," says Assistant Vice Chancellor Chou Her. "People who attend this, all the attendees walk away with a sense of urgency, with a sense of improving what they already have and making sure they are responsive to people."

One way to help that message hit home was by inviting a keynote speaker with a deep personal connection to the conversation.

Turlock native Jill McCluskey lost her daughter, Lauren in 2018 to dating violence. The 21-year-old University of Utah athlete was found shot to death on campus by a man she reported was stalking and harassing her.

Her story garnered national attention. The university later announced a multi-million dollar settlement in a lawsuit against the school and acknowledged it did not handle her case as it should have.

Since then, the Lauren McCluskey Foundation was created with the hope of increasing awareness and providing a blueprint for effective responsiveness to violent crimes. Jill McCluskey has made it her life's mission to share her daughter's story.

"The hole that her murder left in our lives, that we want to, we need to do something good to counteract that and to make sure that doesn't happen to other families," she said.

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