Campus crime reports released, larceny is top offense
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Oakland University Police Department released two campus crime reports recently.
While OUPD officials said it wouldn’t be accurate to use these statistics to make a safety ranking comparison between OU and other institutions because the demographics are different for each one, they said OU is a “very safe place.”
“We compare very favorable to other Michigan institutions, our national peers and the local communities,” said Lt. Mel Gilroy.
The reports show that violent crimes such as murder, rape, robbery, vehicle thefts and arson continue to stay down, while drug and liquor law violations continue their higher numbers. Larceny, or theft, is the most frequent crime on campus.
“I’m gratified that overall as demonstrated by these statistics, that Oakland University remains a very safe place,” said OUPD Chief Sam Lucido. “However, we need to remain vigilant and take personal responsibility for our safety and look out for each other.”
Both reports cover crime on OU’s campus from January to December 2008. The annual Uniform Crime Report, a requirement for all police departments, was created for the FBI and released in September. The Clery Act Annual Campus Safety and Security report, a requirement for all campus police departments, was created for the Michigan government and released on Oct. 13.
Official statistics for the same period in 2009 won’t be available until around October 2010, said OUPD captain Mark Gordon, because it takes time to review and process the information through several layers of law enforcement organizations.
Gilroy said the number of incidents and arrests in 2009 so far show that crime on campus this year is on par with 2008, and is “remaining low.”
“I feel pretty positive about that,” he said.
According to the UCR, in 2008, there were four violent crimes (one robbery and three aggravated assaults) and 71 property crimes (four burglaries, 63 larcenies, three motor vehicle thefts and one arson).
This is a decrease overall from 2007, when there were seven violent crimes (one robbery, five aggravated assaults and one rape) and 117 property crimes (six burglaries, 106 larcenies, four motor vehicle thefts and one arson).
Gilroy credited the decrease to more police officers being on campus. For six to eight months in 2007, OUPD was short-staffed by two to four people, he said, and by 2008 it was full-staffed.
“It shows the prevention and deterrent (tactic) works,” he said.
But arrests on Oakland University’s campus due to drug and liquor law violations increased by 46 percent from 2007 to 2008. Arrests include citations (such as minor in possession) issued.
In 2007, there were 13 arrests for drug violations and 45 for liquor violations. Within that same period in 2008, 19 drug arrests and 66 liquor arrests were made. The majority of these occurred in the residence halls.
Lucido said the increase in arrests was probably due to both increased OUPD enforcement and increased illegal drug and liquor activity on campus.
Gilroy said it is “predictable” that these violations were concentrated in campus residences because it’s a 24/7 living facility.
“A minor student leaves campus and goes to his home in Sterling Heights and drinks — that doesn’t go in our report,” he said.
He said the vast majority of these arrests and warrants, with very few exceptions, led to charges being filed by a prosecutor’s office.
According to the reports, there weren’t any hate crimes reported on campus from 2005-08. Hate crimes are those crimes established to have a motive based on gender, race, disability, sexual orientation, etc.
Because of the high number of larcenies on campus OUPD encouraged people to not leave their belongings around unattended even for a few minutes.
“Larceny remains our No. 1 crime on campus,” Lucido said. “People, please take responsibility.”
The full reports can be found at www.police.oakland.edu/statement and www.fbi.gov.
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