Crime up on both campus and Capitol Hill during 2009

Both Public Safety and the Seattle Police Department reported an increase in crime on and around the Seattle University campus for 2009.

According to Public Safety case logs, criminal offenses—ranging from malicious mischief to burglary and assault—were up 22 percent on campus in 2009. Public Safety reported 802 incidents in 2009 as compared with 674 incidents in 2008. The offense with the greatest increase in incidents was auto prowl, increasing 46 percent from the previous year.

Twenty-two percent fewer narcotics offenses were reported in 2009 and noncriminal incidents (which include accidents, false alarms and medical assists) decreased by 8 percent.

In 2010, Public Safety will be hiring two additional full-time field officers. With an increase in staff, director of Public Safety Mike Sletten said the department has plans to create districts for on-campus patrols so Public Safety officers can gain a better understanding of traffic levels in different areas of campus at different times of day. This understanding would allow patrolling officers to more easily identify unusual activity.

"We want to infuse patrols that are part of the community," Sletten said. "This way we can spot and identify anyone or any behaviors that are unusual."

Sletten said he wants to increase familiarity on campus so Public Safety officers have an idea of who should be where at what time of day. One responsibility the patrolling officers will have is verifying valid business purposes of non-affiliates on and around campus.

Public Safety is also planning a library patrol in anticipation of the McGoldrick Learning Commons opening in the fall. Sletten said the purpose of these patrols would be to empower through presence.

"[People using the commons] should see us, but they won't hear us and we won't interrupt," Sletten said.

Though SPD is yet to post data for the end of 2009, crime in the East precinct—the police beat that surrounds campus—also increased.

For the first four months of the year, major crimes were recorded as increasing 6 percent.
"Burglaries are driving me nuts," said East Precinct Captain Jim Dermody at a crime prevention coalition meeting Thursday.

Dermody and community members at the meeting reported instances of minors knocking on doors to see if homes on Capitol Hill were occupied and attempting burglaries when no one came to the door. Dermody said the police had identified a group of students registered at Garfield High School who have likely been responsible for the reported burglaries. Many of them are re-offenders.

"Detect, arrest, book, release and re-offend is not a pattern I am happy with," he said.

Burglaries are currently reported as down 4 percent from 2008, though year-end data has not yet been posted, and the precinct has not yet identified a significant increase in street robberies. No plans to increase patrols have been announced.

Available data does however show an 8 percent increase in violent crimes from the previous year at the beginning of 2009. Property crimes were up nearly 10 percent.

Representatives of the police department attending the meeting encouraged residents to be alert of neighborhood activity and to call 911 when necessary but to also deter crime by being engaged in their communities.

"Community engagement is more than 911 calls," said Assistant Chief Paul McDonagh. "It's being involved in your neighborhood. You know the normal behavior for your neighborhood."

Frances can be reached at fdinger@su-spectator.com.