Crime at all-time low

Campus police to hire four more officers

By Charles Innis

The Guardsman

City College has been experiencing an overall decrease of crime in the past year, according to the 2013 Annual Security Report, a yearly log of crime statistics.

Although robberies and burglaries have been a persisting issue, drug and alcohol violations, domestic violence, dating violence and hate crime arrests have come to a halt.

The report, issued by the San Francisco Community College District Police Department, shows that in 2012 there were seven drug or alcohol related arrests and 19 of such arrests in 2011. In 2013, there were zero.

Despite this overall wane in reported crime, the statistics indicate that a variety of theft continues to occur on campus, such as vehicle theft, robberies and burglaries. In 2013, there were 15 instances of theft, though the numbers have been slightly greater in previous years.

According to the California Penal Code, a robbery entails the “taking of personal property of another” against their will “accomplished by means of force or fear.” A burglary entails breaking and entering into private property, such as a personal locker or classroom, with the intent to steal.

“The majority of these crimes are people leaving items unattended,” City College Officer Erica McGlaston said.

The targeted items are usually laptops, cell phones and wallets. Most of them occur in the Wellness Center and the Rosenberg Library.

The burglaries are mainly thefts in locker rooms when students forget to lock their lockers or have a broken lock.

“We definitely encourage people to be diligent,” McGlaston said. “To be aware of their surroundings and protect their belongings.”

Last year, City College invested in security cameras dispersed in different parts of the Wellness Center in an effort to decrease thefts. Cameras are also planted throughout the Rosenberg Library.

Campus police have also hired more officers this year to combat crime. Three employees were hired this year and the department intends to hire four more in upcoming months.

The diminished number of drug and alcohol violations in the past two years is attributed to greater police presence in certain high-traffic areas, such as the hill behind the Horticulture Department and the monument in front of Batmale Hall.

“Officers are doing a better job at making face-to-face contact with people who may be violating that rule, which is deterring people from even engaging now that they see us out and about,” McGlaston said.

The majority of City College’s crime takes place on Ocean campus, while one to four arrests occur sporadically at the school’s satellite centers. Evans center is second to Ocean campus in experiencing the most crime, according to the 2013 Annual Security Report.

At least one patrolling officer is required at each satellite center. The distribution is proportional to the magnitude of the center.

Whether the perpetrators of City College’s crimes are students or outsiders is unknown to campus police.

The majority of crimes reported to campus police lack suspect information. “We’re just there trying to follow as many leads as we can,” McGlaston said. “A lot of the times we don’t end up with the suspect.”

If anyone witnesses or is the victim of a crime, the best way to reach the campus police is to call them directly at 415-329-3200.