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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