Gainesville Police Department has increased patrols around bars on University Avenue to make sure students get home safely.
Harry Young, one of the officers who has patrolled the area, said they are stopping girls they see walking alone.
"Earlier this year there has been a rise in criminal acts," Young said. "It's a part of GPD's movement to promote student awareness and crime prevention."
While they mostly question women, officers also talk to male students, Young said.
"This is a problem for a lot of students across the board. It's not necessarily just the females. It's all students walking by themselves," Young said.
GPD spokesman Lt. Keith Kameg said while Gainesville is safe, precautions are needed.
"Society is changing. It's not a Norman Rockwell picture anymore," Kameg said.
He said even though GPD is there to help students, the students need to help themselves.
"We need people to be more responsible," Kameg said. "We've all heard of designated driver - have a designated friend."
