UC Davis Crime Stats Hover at Low According to Report

From UC Davis

The number of crimes reported at the University of California, Davis, in 2012 continued to be relatively low, according to figures collected under the federal Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. 

"We're working with the community to keep the campus a safe place to work, study, visit and live," said UC Davis Police Chief Matt Carmichael. "We know we can't do it alone, and our approach is to work with students, faculty and staff as much as we can."

The annual "Clery Report" tallies specified crimes reported at locations on or adjacent to campus property as well as properties owned or controlled by the campus, including both the Davis campus and the UC Davis Health System campus in Sacramento. It also includes reports taken by police agencies with jurisdiction adjacent to university properties.

The numbers also include crimes that are not reported to police but rather are disclosed to victims' advocates through the Campus Violence Prevention Program or to athletics coaches or other employees considered "campus security authorities" under the act.

Fifty-five burglaries were reported, down from 96 in 2011 and 88 in 2010. There were 15 cases of auto theft, compared to 16 in 2011, and five incidents of arson. Eighteen forcible sex offenses were reported, compared to 24 in 2011, and nine cases of aggravated assault, compared to four the previous year.

There were 22 arrests for drugs, 29 for liquor offenses and four for weapons offenses, compared to 24, 54 and seven for those offenses in 2011. The university took disciplinary action in 71 cases for drugs and 282 for liquor.

No hate crimes, as defined in the act, were reported in 2012.

Crime statistics, resources and tips on personal safety are available through the police department's website,http://police.ucdavis.edu. Victims of crime can seek help, advice, advocacy and confidential counseling through the Campus Violence Prevention Program, http://cvpp.ucdavis.edu. A victim advocate is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The program also runs workshops on sexual assault awareness and violence prevention, which are mandatory for all new students (freshmen, transfer students and international students) at UC Davis. The university also has established a website with resources for students on sexual assault,http://sahelp.ucdavis.edu/.

The most common crime on campus remains bicycle theft. If you own a bicycle, Carmichael recommends that you buy a high-quality lock and use it to secure your bike to a fixed bicycle rack. Registering your bicycle can make for easier recovery if the bike is stolen.

The UC Davis Police Department has taken steps to improve procedures and strengthen community ties. The department recently completed an overhaul and update of its policy manual, working with the American Civil Liberties Union, Lexipol (a consultant that provides policy manuals to law enforcement nationwide) and the campus community.

In May this year, the department graduated its first class of student cadets, all graduating seniors. Five were awarded scholarships to attend police academy. Carmichael recently swore in Emily Chen -- a recent graduate of UC Davis and formerly a volunteer with the department's Volunteers in Police Service program -- as the department's newest officer.

UC Davis and the city of Davis have also partnered with the Yolo County District Attorney's office on the "Neighborhood Court," an alternative to criminal court that allows low-level, nonviolent crimes such as public drunkenness and other alcohol-related offenses, petty theft and vandalism to be addressed by a panel of community members. The neighborhood court emphasizes the harm done by crime to individuals and the community and focuses on restorative justice -- "making it right," said Deputy District Attorney Christopher Bulkeley, who coordinates the program. Since the neighborhood court was established in June 2013, it has heard 51 cases, including 15 of them from UC Davis. Thirty of the 51 cases have been completed.