New police initiatives for 2011-2012 school year

Mechelle Hankerson
News Editor

While students adjust to the beginning of the new semester, VCU police are also adjusting some of their initiatives to make the first few months of school safe for students and the surrounding community.

VCU police Sgt. Nicole Dailey said that there’s already been a 24 percent decrease in robberies around campus, and VCU police’s crime logs report that there have been seven fewer offenses over this year’s move-in weekend than last year’s move-in weekend. (In 2010, there were 11 reported incidents, and there have been four reported incidents this year.)

“For a freshman class and returning students to return, we didn’t have a lot of incidents; most of them have been partying incidences,” Dailey said.

Dailey said underage or illegal possession or consumption of substances (including alcohol) could result in an arrest and intervention by VCU Judicial Affairs.

“Once you’re recorded as a student, whether you’re in a dorm or off campus … the university could get involved and that could impact your ability to … go to school,” she said.

“(It’s) not a good way to start out adulthood or your college education.”

With a recent string of robberies in surrounding neighborhoods and two students being part of an attempted armed robbery, VCU police are taking the time to focus on crime prevention as well.

“(We are) letting them know the types of crimes that could happen and getting them the information so they don’t become a victim,” Dailey said.

According to Dailey, larceny and robberies constitute most of the crime in and around campus.

In addition to more patrols and a higher visibility in the area, VCU police will be continuing their efforts to make sure students don’t lose their valuables through theft.

This semester, they will also be utilizing the VCU Text-a-Tip program, which is a Crime Stoppers affiliate. With the program, students can anonymously provide information to the police.

Like the normal Crime Stoppers program, providing tips could lead to a cash reward for the tipster.

Dailey said in the next few weeks the police will also introduce a bicycle and pedestrian initiative, and activities pertaining to it will be concentrated around the Cary Street Gym. They will also be introducing the DriveSmart program to make drivers more aware of pedestrians as well as encourage seatbelt usage.

Be the first to comment

Leave a Reply