The LSU Police Department’s annual crime report suggests the campus has become significantly safer over the past two years, as the University has seen major declines in burglary, alcohol and drug incidents.
The Annual Security and Fire Report was released last week in accordance with the Clery Act, which requires all university and college police forces to provide information about crime on and in proximity to campuses.
The report shows an 87 percent decrease in burglary since 2008, with 13 incidents in 2010. Alcohol-related arrests have also decreased significantly since 2008, and LSUPD saw 13 fewer drug arrests than in 2009, according to the report.
LSUPD Major Helen Haire, who helped compile the report, said some decreases could be attributed to changes in Clery Act guidelines, but a strong deterrent of crime is partially attributed to better community involvement.
Haire said LSUPD has seen an increase in the number of reported crimes, and citizens have been more proactive in reporting crimes as soon as they happen. She said this makes it easier for LSUPD officers to make arrests and identify crime trends in different areas on campus.
She said people are also more aware of LSUPD’s authoritative presence on campus.
“Our message is sent and known,” she said, adding that those wanting to commit crimes have noticed an increase in awareness on campus.
The atmosphere at home football games has also changed, she said. Students know officers from multiple agencies are on the lookout for alcohol violations, and attempts to illegally bring alcohol into games have decreased.
The increases in awareness and reporting are a product of LSUPD’s “conscious effort to promote community involvement,” said Capt. Cory Lalonde, LSUPD spokesman.
“We depend on [community involvement],” Haire said. “We’re not going to get mad if you call us. It’s our job.”
She said LSUPD has many methods of measuring the effectiveness of its police force, but Clery Act reports are good for comparisons to other universities.
Compared to other Southeastern Conference schools’ statistics, the University saw fewer crimes on campus in 2010.
LSUPD reported 13 burglaries on campus, but schools like the University of Georgia reported 82. The University of South Carolina had 87 cases.
The University also saw fewer liquor law violations — excluding DUIs and public drunkenness — than USC, the University of Alabama and the University of Tennessee, among many other SEC schools that reported high volumes.
Alabama reported 533 violations, Tennessee had 667 and USC had the most with 875. LSU reported 102 violations.
Forcible sex offenses remained high, however, with five reported incidents on the University campus. Some universities reported higher numbers, with 10 incidents at Vanderbilt University, nine at Alabama and eight at the University of Kentucky.
LSU was second only to UGA and USC in motor vehicle thefts, with 13 reports.
Many universities reported hate crimes, including LSU with one hate crime through vandalism. UGA reported the most with three incidents, and the University of Florida, the University of Arkansas, Vanderbilt and Kentucky each reported one.
The report does not cover every incident of crime on campus because the Clery Act has specific and selective requirements, but Lalonde said the report is a fair representation of campus safety.
In accordance with Clery Act laws, all higher education institutions must release crime reports by Oct. 1 of each year.
The annual report also focused on fire safety at residential facilities, including emergency evacuation areas, number of drills per year and number of fires. Four fires were reported in 2010 at Highland Hall, Nicholson Apartments and the Business Residential College West.
 
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Contact Brian Sibille at [email protected]