A comprehensive report of crime statistics on UNM properties shows an increase in reported criminal activity on campus from 2013 to 2015.
The report was compiled and published by UNMPD and the Office of Equal Opportunity’s Clery Act Compliance Office.
Some of that increase can be explained by changes in Clery reporting standards over the past three years, said UNMPD Lieutenant Tim Stump and Clery Officer Robert Burford.
Incidents of sexual misconduct on UNM campus property increased by 52 percent from 2014 to 2015.
From 2013 to 2015, reported property crime more than doubled, and 2015 was the first year in which instances of attempted theft met the standards for Clery reportable crimes.
Burford said he works with UNMPD, campus security, residence hall officials, advocacy centers and authorities at off-campus properties in order to compile crime statistics reported to those entities.
“Students or faculty and staff members — and parents of prospective students — can look to see what kind of crimes are going on at UNM, so they can make informed decisions about whether they should send their students here or not,” he said, emphasizing how important it is that the community be aware of crime trends.
Hopefully the report informs future efforts by authorities involved to decrease criminal activity at UNM, Burford said.
The Clery Act requires that the report containing crime statistics for the past three years be finalized and published by October, Stump said.
“Everybody has to report, and make sure all the numbers are right, and everything agrees with what we have,” Stump said. “It’s a big process.”
The noticeable increase in crime numbers is cause for concern, but it isn’t all negative, he said, because the increase in sexual assault reports might be reflective of the effort, in recent years, to encourage victims to come forward.
“We feel that more people are coming forward, and more (sexual assault) reports are being made in that area,” Stump said. “Property crimes all over the city have gone up (36 percent) across the city.”
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Several of the auto theft incidents included in these year’s report for 2015 involved vandalism and failed theft, he said.
“Those numbers are still too high for us, no matter how we look at it,” Stump said. “We’re trying to make every effort we can to be in the parking lots more, and make students, staff and faculty more aware of what’s going on.”
Preventive measures have been taken, he said, such as bait car programs.
“There just isn’t enough of that to go around, with the thousands of cars frequenting UNM parking lots,” Stump said. “We’re really trying to bring those numbers down.”
Gabrielle Jackson, a sophomore math major whose bike was recently stolen from outside Dane Smith Hall, said being a victim of theft can be frustrating and time-consuming.
“Obviously I was stressed,” Jackson said of losing her vehicle and the ensuing search through local pawn shops, bike stores and police registries. “I don’t know if I should call. I honestly don’t know if there are resources available further than that.”
The incident put her “on edge,” and the reality that people come around campus with criminal intentions is unsettling, Jackson said.
“I guess it’s just a hotspot. You have bikes, you have people who are busy and stressed, and aren’t paying attention,” she said. “I’m definitely not leaving my backpack anywhere.”
Given the amount of students who rely on bicycles for transportation, theft prevention should be a priority, Jackson said.
“Everything that happened was completely preventable,” she said. “It isn’t entirely on the security force, it’s also on the students themselves.”
Johnny Vizcaino is a news reporter for the Daily Lobo. He can be reached at news @dailylobo.com or on Twitter @thedailyjohnnyv.
