2008 Woodie Awards
University police releases latest crime reports
The report states there was a decrease in drug offenses but an increase in burglaries and sexual assault on campus
Wendy Wills / Staff Writer
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A recently released report of crime on the University of West Florida campus during 2004 shows a decrease in drug offenses but an increase in burglaries and sexual assault compared with a similar survey in 2003.
UWF police officer A.J. Hanks said the 2004 crime report is a collection of data from the past three years.
The report includes statistics on criminal offenses and arrests both from on the UWF campus and from the surrounding one-mile area.
"I don't think people are as aware of the statistics as they should be," Hanks said. She said that although UWF is a pretty safe campus, "people should be aware of what's going on."
The police department posts crime statistics on the school Web site at http://uwf.edu/uwfpolice/crime.cfm. The statistics are also available in the lobby of the police department, Hanks said.
According to the 2004 crime report, there were two campus arrests for drug law violations, while 18 other drug violations resulted in referrals. In contrast, the crime report for 2003 said there were nine arrests for drug law violations, but only eight resulted in referrals.
The 2004 report also stated there were 75 disciplinary actions on campus other than drug violations, such as possession of illegal weapons and liquor, for which the campus police issued student referrals.
The report said there were 11 campus burglaries in 2004, an decrease from 14 reported the previous year.
Criminal offenses in UWF residence halls in 2004 included four burglaries, one robbery, and one forcible sex offense, according to the report. The 2003 crime report stated that there were four burglaries and one robbery in residence halls, but no incidents of sexual assault.
UWF police Sgt. David Faircloth said referrals might be given for disciplinary actions that do not result in criminal arrests.
"A referral is a formal notice to the student from a police officer that tells him or her to contact student affairs" to discuss the reason for the referral, Faircloth said.
There is no set number on the maximum amount of referrals someone can receive. Also, referrals do not go on a student's record.
Faircloth said a student can be charged criminally or given a referral.
"The student can also be referred to student affairs for violation of the student code of conduct," Faircloth said.
Faircloth said there are some instances in which the police officer can decide whether an act is criminal. These instances include the possession of alcohol younger than age 21, possession of marijuana or possession of a weapon. If a firearm is found, the student can be charged criminally.
The intent of the weapon also determines the punishment, Faircloth said. He added that there was an instance last year in which a student had a hunting knife, so it was confiscated. However, if a weapon is used or is threatened to be used on someone, it becomes a criminal offense.
In the majority of cases, UWF has not had a recent history of students becoming jailbirds.
"They (students) may not get arrested. They will most likely get a student referral," Faircloth said.
Faircloth said he believes the majority of the problems occur in the residence halls because it is easier for police to catch students while scanning the hallways. He said the violations mostly involve possession of marijuana.
"I would say all are going to be marijuana," he said. "The smell gets out. A typical scenario is an R.A., or other residents smell it and call" the UWF Police Department.
The police cannot do random room searches in the dorms because of "expectation of privacy," Faircloth said. He said officers need a warrant or must have probable cause or there is an emergency inside.
Students still need to be cautious of what illegal substances they might dare to conceal.
"We will check the dorms," Faircloth said. "There are four patrol zones" in the university where "each officer is assigned one or two zones."
According to the Security on Campus Web site, the Clery Act requires colleges and universities in the United States publish a yearly report stating crime statistics of the past three years.
Hanks said the campus has safety features such as safety escorts, the blue lights system and a new program called Rape Aggression Defense.
Faircloth said UWF can expect to see the 2005 crime statistics in October 2006.