SU crime stats show a spike in burglaries

 
According to statistics from the Southern University Police Department, Southern University’s crime rate has not been high between 2009 and 2011, although some rates have been up and down each year.
Burglary and aggravated assault both have increased each year.
Between 2009 and 2010 the number of burglaries increased from 10 to 17. In 2011 there were 35 cases of burglary. This was the highest rate of all the crimes in 2011.
Some students are providing opportunities for the perpetrators to commit crimes according to Operations officer, Lt. Floyd Williams.
“They are allowing nonstudents to mingle among them, stay in their dormitories and they feel comfortable to commit crime because they’re not connected to the university, he said.”
In most cases those who committed these crimes are not SU students.
The number of aggravated assaults increased by 1. Only two cases were reported in 2009. Three were reported in 2010 and 4 in 2011.
The number of robbery cases also increased from 1 to 11 between 2009 and 2010. The reason for many assaults and robberies is that students are not aware of their surroundings according to Police Chief Ronald Stevens.
For example there was recently a case where someone asked a student to borrow his phone. After the student agreed to let them borrow his phone, they ran off with it.
Because of instances like this, Stevens finds it important to educate the people on how to refrain from being a victim of crime. During the upcoming spring semester seminars will be scheduled to take place in every dormitory on campus.
The police department holds seminars each semester to inform students, though not many attend. This shows that they lack interest in wanting to know how to stay safe.
Williams said, “Crime in itself would drop a percentage because then they would know how to not be victims and that would help us help themselves.”
Some suggestions from Stevens are walk in pairs, not walking in dark areas and avoid having things in your car that can be seen. Students can also go to the school website and go to campus police safety to get more tips.
Other precautions that the Police are taking include pro-active policing, which is patrolling, being visuals and always being aware. They are also working on upgrading the camera system, so students should be careful of their actions. They are getting new and improved cameras and will be installing more around campus. This will allow them to get more video footage in dead spots with hopes of catching perpetrators in the act.
Stevens would like to congratulate SU students for carrying themselves well, because the crime is not bad for a school this size.
He also wants to challenge young men to respect the young ladies and the ladies to demand self-respect. He believes that many of the things that happen would not happen if the students did these two things.
“That makes a difference because men are usually going to respect the ones who they feel want to be respected.”
He also wants the students to feel like family with the police department. They are welcome to talk to him or any of the officers anytime. All they have to do is walk in there.