U. releases annual report on crime, fire, public safety

Last month, the Rutgers University Police Department (RUPD) released the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (ASFSR), referred to as "Safety Matters," a comprehensive report that provides insights into campus safety, security policies and crime statistics.

The report covers the past three years, 2020, 2021 and 2022, along with fire safety data and is mandated to be published under federal law known as the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.

Emma O'Flanagan, director of Compliance and Research at the RUPD, said the annual report is made to be a resource for members of the University community.

The notable increase in criminal incidents in 2022 compared to the previous year signals a return to pre-pandemic crime levels, she said.

For the Rutgers—New Brunswick campus, statistics in the report indicate sexual violence was the highest category of crimes. Incidents involving domestic violence have significantly increased year over year and had the most reported incidents in 2022, with 64.

Increases in those specific categories are likely due to improved reporting rather than a genuine surge in incidents, she said.

"Over the years, Rutgers University has taken great strides to increase reporting of these offenses, which has the benefit of increasing access to resources for survivors and allows for more police involvement and investigative efforts," she said.

O'Flanagan said it was essential to recognize that these statistics encompass data from various sources, including local law enforcement agencies and Campus Security Authorities (CSAs), in addition to incidents reported to the RUPD. This mix of data sources makes it challenging to accurately pinpoint specific trends or patterns, she said.

Criminal incidents reported by local law enforcement, such as the New Brunswick Police Department, might reflect trends not tracked by RUPD, O'Flanagan said.

Similarly, CSAs may report incidents that exhibit changes in reporting processes or outreach efforts, potentially affecting the statistics for certain crimes, like sexual assaults or domestic violence, she said.

"In other words, it is not easy to clearly establish trends based on Clery statistics. However, on the whole, it is clear that there are increases in the 2022 statistics, which are closer to pre-COVID levels than the previous two years," O'Flanagan said.

Mark Wang, a School of Arts and Sciences sophomore, said he experienced crime on campus firsthand when his bicycle was stolen on the Busch campus during the Spring 2023 semester.

Matthew McCaughan, a School of Arts and Sciences junior, shared with the Targum that he tries to be the most cautious on the College Avenue campus and in the off-campus area near the College Avenue campus due to the crime alerts from RUPD he sees in his email.

Both McCaughan and Wang said they wished for more working security cameras to be implemented across campus so that they and others could feel more secure.