CHARLOTTESVILLE, Va. (CBS19 NEWS) -- There's been an uptick of crime on and around the University of Virginia's Grounds, and it's prompted concern among the community about student safety.

Gunshots, peeping toms, robberies and sexual assaults are all up compared to last year, and it's cause for concern.

It can be traced largely to the Corner and surrounding areas. That's why UVA Police Department is expanding its presence along with the Charlottesville Police Department in a newly-formed unit called the Community-Oriented Police Squad, or COPS for short.

"It's basically four of our officers and they're solely off-Grounds right, it's putting our resources in those areas that as we said it's not technically our primary jurisdiction but we have that large vested interest in the safety and visibility there,” said Sergeant Ben Rexrode of UPD. 

Officials have also looked to the Ambassadors Program to help address safety concerns. 

“The ambassadors play a big part of this," said Rexrode. "Certainly they're not police, they're not security. They are dressed, dressed the way they're dressed in those bright neon, kind of yellow-green shirts. They're there for a reason, they're there to be seen to be present.” 

Now students can ask an ambassador for a walk home as a part of the new "safe walk" program.

If an ambassador is not present, the UVA mobile safety app "Guardian" offers a virtual escort. The app allows contacts to see your location and are notified when you've arrived at your destination safely.

Students say these resources are making a difference.

"I really haven't seen anyone walking home recently," said fourth-year student Mary Hogewood.

But safety is still always something that's on the minds of students.

"Little things like that, like oh that could have been me, it's definitely been unnerving," said fourth-year student Shannon Pickrell.

She was on the Corner when several shots were fired into a neighborhood bar and describes the incident as a wake-up call.

“We hear about the things happening but being on the Corner when there was a shot fired, that was scary,” said Pickrell.

She says the police aren't the only ones reacting.

“It's been interesting just to see how the students respond," she said. "It's been a lot more like text me when you get home or like let me facetime you or let me walk you home.”

The Morgan Harrington and Hannah Graham cases were a few years ago, but students haven't forgotten those incidents as well.

While there is a mindset of focusing on safety, overall students say they do feel safe on Grounds, but they don't take it for granted.