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The Department of Public Safety’s patrol division “consists of approximately 20 sworn officers,” according to their pages on the U of L Web site. These officers are broken into three shifts. That means only a handful of officers are on hand to patrol the entire campus and outlying areas of concern, such as University Park Apartments, at any one time.
It also means people living or working around campus are the first line of defense when it comes to crime prevention. The DPS and Fourth Division police -— two departments with limited resources -— are, at best, first-response teams in the event that a crime is committed.
In response to recent robberies, both DPS and the Fourth Division have beefed up patrols in the campus area.
However, if robberies, burglaries, rapes and other crimes are to be prevented in any measure, community housekeeping has to play a role.
In safety bulletins and crime alerts posted online, DPS gives descriptions of suspects involved in crimes around campus, along with other information about recent crimes pertinent to students.
They also give safety tips. Locking doors and not fighting back may seem pretty common-sense, but many people wouldn’t think to get a good look at an armed assailant so they can give the police an accurate description.
Other than following the advice from DPS, what else can students do to prevent crime and protect themselves?
The community needs to see more dialogue like last Monday’s meeting at UPA. Residents spoke with police and UPA officials about their concerns and possible solutions, and were educated about the Blockwatch program and community crime awareness. Criminals can only enjoy free rein at U of L if nobody cares and nobody does anything.
