How do current campus crime statistics look compared to the past couple of years? It seems that in our academic world, people like to play with statistics. As for me, I look at statistics somewhat like grades, which might just make a pretty good analogy for this semester.

As we are fast approaching the "mid-term" of the Fall '97 Semester, I have to say, that we, and by "we" I mean both campus security as well as the students, faculty and staff of the university, have done exceptionally well. With a few notable exceptions everyone deserves a "B" in most areas, and an "A" in some. For example, take mopeds (figuratively, not literally): by this time last fall, we had 17 mopeds reported stolen, mostly from the student housing areas of campus. This semester, we have only five reported stolen and only two of these have been from student housing. I think people should know that this major turn around has come from the concerted efforts of the campus security officers working the night shifts. They have interrupted several thefts in progress and caught several thieves in the act.

Now conversely, bicycles have started disappearing at an alarming rate in the past month. Last fall, we had about 15 reported thefts. For the same time frame this semester, we have had 16 bicycles reported stolen. There does not seem to be any discernible pattern to these thefts, and no area on campus that stands out as a target area. So be forewarned, and take precautions to insure that your bicycle is properly secured when you are not using it.

In past years, backpacks have been hot items for theft. Well...now, the fall semester is at the "mid-term" spot, and there has been only one report of a stolen backpack. I think this phenomenon can only be credited to blind luck, because I still see a whole bunch of backpacks just laying around unattended.

Most other categories of incidents or crimes are running par with or lower than past semesters. Another area worth mentioning is the area of assaults. We have had far fewer reported assaults this semester than in the past. There is no way to determine the why of this statistic.

I don't want to lull people into thinking that you don't have to take normal precautions, you do. We all have to maintain a solid level of security awareness, and precautions, but there is no need to get paranoid either. We really do have a very beautiful and safe campus and university.

Anyone with questions, comments or suggestions (and yeah, complaints) feel free to contact me at campus security, phone 956-9858.

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