Despite significant increases in the occurrence of car break-ins and burglaries this year, only one such crime was reported on campus during Spring Break.

Public Safety officials attributed the lack of crime to educational efforts from university and student organizations, as well as traditional crime prevention efforts such as increased patrols.

‘We really tried, along with Student Affairs and College Crime Watch, to make people much more aware that this stuff happens and they need to be a little bit more careful,’ said Marlene Hall, director of the Department of Public Safety. ‘We’d like to think that made a difference.’

The one Spring Break crime occurred when a laptop computer was stolen from a South Campus apartment.

‘We had no problems with vehicles out there, and over other breaks we usually have a few broken into,’ said Lt. Grant Williams, crime prevention officer for the Department of Public Safety.

Throughout this academic year, the majority of car break-ins within the university area reported to the Syracuse Police Department resulted in the theft of compact discs, car stereos and spare change or cash. Prevention of these break-ins remains a major focus of education efforts to on-campus students.

However, student organizations made the difference for last week’s break, Williams and Hall said.

‘Safety is of huge importance on campus, and the lack of crime over break really shows that students can control the problem themselves if they take responsibility,’ said Courtney Bell, a senior majoring in speech communication and rhetorical studies, and president of the SU College Crime Watch chapter. ‘Students can take control of the problem if they have to voice their concerns, but they also have to prevent the causes.’

During the days leading up to break, members of Public Safety and College Crime Watch gathered at the welcome center on South Campus, distributing around 1,000 pamphlets to students driving past the gate.

‘I think students did listen to what we had to say,’ Bell said. ‘It had never been done like that – it was almost like customer service.’

Other more traditional measures also contributed to the relatively peaceful break.

‘From our point of view we also had officers making extra patrols,’ Hall said, adding that other groups, such as the police, were also keeping an eye on the campus.

‘We told them to be diligent out there and to watch,’ Williams said.

Hall and Williams said most of the crimes that occur on campus could be avoided by simple measures like removing change or CD’s from cars, closing blinds in apartments and making sure doors are locked.

‘The officers also go out on patrols and we encourage them to be extra vigilant at it,’ Hall said. ‘But if you take a look at the fact that there was a great outreach from CCW, Student Affairs, and Public Safety in trying to remind people to make sure that they were taking some measures themselves, (it) shows the power of what a community can do.’

Published on March 16, 2004 at 12:00 pm