UCF Police Department releases 2011-2012 safety report

How can I protect myself from theft? What crimes are most common on campus? Where do I turn if I become a victim?

Students can find the answers to these questions and more in UCF's Annual Security and Fire Safety Guide.

Colleges and universities across the United States publish annual safety guides as part of a federal law designed to protect students. The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act requires colleges to annually disclose certain campus crime statistics and safety policies, according to SecurityOnCampus.org. Schools must publish a report by Oct. 1 disclosing three years of crime statistics on and around their campuses.

Originally known as the Crime Awareness and Campus Security Act, the law honors Jeanne Clery, a Lehigh University freshman murdered in her residence hall bedroom in 1986.

Between 2008 and 2010, the most common crime at UCF was burglary, according to the report, with 208 incidents on the main campus, regional campuses, certain non-campus properties and adjacent public property. Campus police and other local authorities also reported 27 robberies, 15 forcible sex offenses and 32 aggravated assaults in the three-year period. The UCF Police Department monitors the main campus, Rosen and Health Sciences at Lake Nona.

UCF Police Department Community Relations Supervisor Sgt. Troy Williamson said the most common crime at UCF is theft, which is not a required category for the guide.

"Theft is No. 1 nationwide at any university or college," Williamson said. "That's the biggest problem that we have."

According to the Florida Department of Law Enforcement Uniform Crime Report, the UCF Police Department reported 336 incidents of larceny in 2010 alone. Williamson said these were mostly personal items left unattended, such as wallets and cellphones.

"I've seen numerous reports lately of people leaving something behind just for a minute, and things end up missing," Williamson said. "So they've got to be very vigilant as far as keeping their property with them at all times."

Junior biological sciences major Sarah Maginnis experienced this scenario firsthand.

"I had my [bank] card in my backpack, in the side pocket, and I was in the library. That's where I think it was taken from," she said. "I turned around for just a second. I might have gone to the bathroom, and somebody took it out, went all the way to the other side of town and spent almost $300."

Maginnis' bank alerted her to the fraudulent charges with an email alert, and she ended up being reimbursed for the full amount after canceling her card and filing a police report.

Compared with safety report data released from Florida's other major universities, including the University of Florida, Florida State University, the University of Miami and the University of South Florida, UCF ranks in the middle of most categories. Part 1 Crimes - which include homicide, sexual assault, aggravated assault, robbery, burglary, larceny and theft - declined about 30 percent.

UCF did rank No. 1 in motor vehicle thefts with 117. However, Williamson said this number is high because golf carts must be included in the statistics. Most carts are recovered within hours or by the next day, he said.

The guide also includes information about the UCF Alert system, the Safe Escort Patrol Service, Victim Services, the Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention Programming Office and residence hall fire safety.

"We talk about communication, how to report crimes, who our Campus Security Authority is," Williamson said. "In other words, if you don't feel comfortable talking to law enforcement, you can talk with some of these other offices about crimes committed."

The UCF Police Department also offers free engraving and property registration services to assist students in the recovery of stolen items.

"They have a better chance of having their property recovered if they know the serial number," Williamson said.

Alcohol and drugs remain an issue at all of Florida's universities. More than 900 people were arrested for alcohol violations at UF while about 500 received referrals. This compares to 45 arrests at UCF and 821 referrals. USF and Miami also reported more referrals than arrests, while FSU struck an almost equal balance.

UCF reported 123 drug arrests and 254 drug referrals. By comparison, UF had 523 arrests and 196 referrals, USF had 202 arrests and 136 referrals, FSU had 423 arrests and five referrals, and Miami had 122 arrests and 254 referrals.