By Ethan Pelletier–
As students look for feasible living options for the next academic year, it is important to know if the campus-affiliated housing is worth the high cost that comes along with it. And a reoccurring concern is safety.
The U of L Police Department 2016 Crime logs for January and February report a combined 16 incidences in the Clubhouse Apartments, Cardinal Towne and the Arch alone.
These cases range from one accident, two fire alarms, four thefts valued under $500, three counts of criminal mischief, two counts of burglary, one count of wanton endangerment/assault and domestic violence, one count of sexual misconduct, one count of harassing communication and one count of harassment/terroristic threatening.
According to the LMPD crime logs for the same time period, the Bellamy and Cardinal Towne Apartments did not fair any better. There were two accounts of burglary and one account of theft at the Bellamy. At Cardinal Towne there was one account of drug violation, one account of vandalism and one account of burglary.
These incidents occurred despite self-reported advancements such as HD cameras, required key fobs, door alarms, private security contracts, private scanners and gated facilities.
The Clubhouse Apartments and the Arch are the only campus-affiliated housing options that are actually patrolled by the U of L Police Department. The other off-campus student housing options relying on local law enforcement or private contracting rather than coughing up for the additional services that U of L PD offers.
Employees of the Arch emphasized the growth that the Arch was about to experience rather than the current situation.
“Though the parking garage doesn’t have cameras yet, we are planning on installing new HD cameras around the points of entry to ensure student’s safety, which is a top priority of the Arch,” said Lexi Combs, an employee at the Arch.
Other employees stated similar things. Though the current situation was less than desirable, they assured that the security situation was being taken care of despite evidence to the contrary.
“Each key fob is individualized to your person, and is time stamped every time you enter the facility,” Maggie Linneman, a manager at the Clubhouse, said.
“Students are typically very satisfied with their choice in living here, and recorded instances of security failure are the lowest here compared to anywhere else I have worked,” said Linneman.
Instead of discussing the current situation, all kept emphasizing plans for improvement, implying that they (and everyone else) are aware of the dismal situation.
Photo by Madison Worth / The Louisville Cardinal
