Campus crime lower

By Kristen Hoverman
The Collegian

The Fresno State Police Department’s annual security compliance document, updated earlier this month, shows a decrease in reported crime statistics over the last three years.

These crimes occurred on campus, in the student housing area, on property owned or controlled by Fresno State and on public property around Fresno State.

In compliance with the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act, the University Police Department Web site provides students with access to information about security and policies on campus as well as crime statistics both on and off campus.

The statistics showed that between 2002 and 2004, reported burglaries decreased in all areas. The number of aggravated assaults and sex offenses decreased and no homicides were reported during that time frame. From 2003 to 2004 a total of 25 robberies were reported in the public property surrounding Fresno State.

“For the most part, when I’m on campus it’s pretty safe,” said Ricardo Gonzalez, a junior criminology major. “It’s once you start heading out towards the streets around Fresno State that it’s kind of dangerous.”

According to statistics, auto theft is a prevalent crime on and around Fresno State but has dropped over time. Statistics from 2004 show 52 cars were stolen from the public property bordering campus and 23 cars were stolen on campus. This is a decrease from 2003 in which 61 cars were stolen from off-campus property and 40 cars were stolen on campus.

“I used to bring my car out here,” Gonzalez said. “On one occasion the car in front of me got broken into and the car behind me got stolen. That was the last time I brought my car over here.”

Gonzalez said he now rides his bike to school, though that has given him trouble as well.

“I remember this one time this guy was trying to pick at my lock,” Gonzalez said.

In 2004, a campus crime alert was released to encourage students to chain the frame of the bike to the bike rack. According to the document, University Police offers bicycle theft prevention. Bike locks can be rented and persons interested can have their bicycles licensed.

The statistics provided in the report do not differentiate between incidents reported during the day and incidents reported at night.

Junior history major Melissa Morris said she has a night class on campus and said she feels unsafe walking around on her own.

“Campus at night really bothers me,” Morris said. “Going to class I feel fine. Leaving class I always walk with someone. I wouldn’t walk to my car by myself.”

University Police offer several prevention, safety and service programs to students. According to the report, 26 closed-circuit cameras operate around the campus and are checked each day of the week.Safety escort services are available to accompany persons to their destinations on campus 24 hours a day. Classes on self-defense and Rape Aggression Defense can be scheduled with University Police. They also provide car battery assistance to persons on campus and courtyard security for the residential housing area.

Members of University Police were unavailable for comment for several days.

Copies of the annual security compliance document along with tips and reminders on how to be safe on campus and prevent theft can be printed from the University Police Web site, www.csufresno.edu/police.html.

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