The Public Safety report shows increases in burglaries, theft, but campus is safe overall
By Hannah Gray
The myth that North Portland is an unsafe area makes many students initially question the safety at UP.
However, the newly-released Department of Public Safety Crime and Fire Report indicates that UP and its surrounding neighborhood is generally safe.
"Statistically, this is one of the safest neighborhoods," said Harold Burke-Sivers, the Public Safety director. "However, when things do happen, they get highlighted."
The Crime Awareness Campus Security Act of 1990, also known as the Jeanne Clery Act, mandates that all college and universities provide information about the safety and security on campus.
UP Public Safety e-mailed the report to all students Sept. 15.
Four categories of crime saw an increase on campus: residential burglary, theft from a motor vehicle, forcible sex offenses and aggravated assault.
There were 20 burglaries in UP residence halls in 2008, according to the report, 17 more than in 2007.
Burke-Sivers said 16 of the 20 on-campus residential burglaries last year occurred during summer camps that used the university's facilities, and that UP students were not the victims.
The most commonly stolen items were small electronic appliances.
"Rash of iPod thefts," said Burke-Sivers, who added that cell phones and mp3 players were also targets.
However, most of the items were returned to their owners, according to Burke-Sivers.
The culprit was the boyfriend of one of the campers, Burke-Sivers said.
Another category that saw an increase was theft from a motor vehicle.
Car break-ins on campus saw an increase of 11 in 2008 from the previous year, when there were none.
"That is definitely attributed to the economy," Burke-Sivers said in regards to the increase in car break-ins. "We've seen more of these types of theft occur in bad economic times."
During tough economic times in 2003, there was a jump in thefts from a motor vehicle, as well, according to Burke-Sivers.
The items - wallets, purses, iPods and the like - were stolen during the day, when students were in class.
Many of the thefts occurred in the main lot, according to Burke-Sivers.
The Public Safety report shows four reported cases of forcible sex offenses on campus in 2008, one more than was reported in 2007.
"They were all students and all involved alcohol," Burke-Sivers said.
The on-campus cases were handled through the UP judicial system. Portland Police handled the one reported off-campus sex offense.
Also, two occasions of aggravated assault were reported on campus in 2008. None was reported the prior year.
The one in 2008 that Burke-Sivers could recall was a fight in one of the residential halls. The case was handled internally through the university's judicial system.
Regarding off-campus crime, the Public Safety report includes only cases reported to UP Public Safety.
"The statistics do not reflect any reports that might have been made to other departments or individuals at the University unless those individuals or departments informed public safety of the incident," according to page seven of the report.
Some UP students who live off-campus say they don't necessarily report crimes to Public Safety.
Senior Alysse Kerr's bike was stolen off her porch during the summer. However, she did not report it. Kerr lives off-campus near Lombard.
"I figured it was gone for good," Kerr said.
Kerr feels slightly comforted by the patrol of Public Safety cars because it allows her to not completely rely on neighbors and Portland Police.
However, since she lives out the outskirts, she thinks that Public Safety is not entirely beneficial to her.
"I guess I'm more concerned about theft rather than someone breaking in," said junior Hayz Grant, who lives off-campus. "This summer I had my two beloved cats stolen outside of my home."
Students are encouraged to lock both their dorm and car doors and to keep their sensitive items hidden from plain sight, Burke-Sivers said.
Public Safety also offers some services to increase personal safety on campus - its escort service, residence hall security and the emergency telephones.
The escort service is provided per request. Students may call it anytime and they will be escorted when coming onto campus and to their respective residence hall.
Each residence hall is required to check identification of anyone who wants to enter the building. Only those who live in the residence hall do not have to sign in.
"I feel like the safety in the buildings is sometimes inconvenient," said sophomore Kayley Coogan, who lives in Corrado Hall. "But it's a necessity to keep us safe."
There are emergency phones all over campus - on the outside of the residence halls, in elevators and the 17 "blue-lights" around campus.
Last year, there was a technical problem with the "blue-light" emergency phones - condensation would build up in the phones.
Since there was not enough air, the condensation turned into water, and often when the boxes were opened water would flood out of them.
Since then, the "blue-lights" have been fixed.
They were lifted off the ground and were retrofitted with rubber rings to solve the rain issue, according to Burke-Sivers.
Public Safety checks the emergency phones weekly.
The general feeling among students is that UP is predominantly safe.
"My mom kind of scares me sometimes," Coogan said. "I was going to the library at 10 p.m., and she asked me if I was walking alone. I did, and I was fine."
However, students do run into issues every now and again.
"I remember last year people got into Christie Hall, stole a guitar and laptop, and that kind of freaked me out," said sophomore Sam Wegman, who lives in Christie Hall.
"I'm a hall receptionist, and the idea that people could walk in without me knowing does not make me feel safe about the stuff in my room," he said.
