The University of Alabama’s Annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report for 2010 revealed that the University has a much higher rate of alcohol violations than many other schools in the Southeastern Conference. The 79-page document contains crime statistics from the last three years, as well as the University’s plan for preventing and responding to incidents of crime, fire and other emergencies.
According to the report, in 2010, 518 UA students received disciplinary action for on-campus alcohol violations. At Auburn University, only 69 students faced disciplinary action for the same violation. Both Mississippi State and the University of Florida disciplined 120 students each for alcohol-related violations.
Crime statistics in the report reveal that while the University’s crime rates are remaining steady, they are higher than many other SEC schools.
According to the report, there were 46 burglaries and seven robberies reported on the University’s campus in 2010.
In that same time period, Auburn University experienced only five burglaries and no robberies; University of Florida had 33 burglaries and no robberies; and Mississippi State came closest to the University’s crime rates with 43 burglaries and three robberies on campus, according to data from their respective police departments.
“The goal of The University of Alabama Police Department is to provide a safe and secure environment for all members of our community,” the department’s website states. “The goal of a safe environment must be shared with you.”
Crime prevention, however, goes far beyond maintaining an adequate number of officers to patrol and respond to incidents, the report states. The University Police Department seeks to prevent incidents from happening by educating members of the student body about the safety measures each student should take to protect themselves.
“University police work hard to help you maintain your personal safety and protect your property by providing full law enforcement services and sharing information you can use to reduce your chances of becoming a victim of a crime,” the UAPD website states.
To prevent students from becoming victims of crime, UAPD offers more than twenty different programs on how to stay safe, both on and off campus, to members of the UA community.
The University of Alabama Police Department responds to most emergencies and crimes on campus. UAPD has been a fully functioning police department since receiving its accreditation in 1998 and is prepared to respond to any incident that may arise on campus.
“During the 2010-11 school year, UAPD conducted 324 safety-related educational programs to help the University community stay safe,” the department’s website states.
The department also publishes the Safer Living Guide, designed to inform students about the UA campus and the best ways to stay safe while living and studying at the University.
The responsibility for students’ safety on campus doesn’t stop with UAPD or the safety programs offered by the University, said Alicia Browne, associate director for assignments in the University’s Residential Housing department
“A lot of safety is within students’ hands,” Browne said. “Students should make smart choices about personal safety.”
According to Browne, students can lessen their chance of becoming the victim of a crime by making small changes to their daily routine.
“Smart choices, such as not walking alone, letting someone know where you are going and when they should expect you to arrive – simple things like that can make students safer,” she said. “There are a lot of safety measures in place, but a lot has to do with student behavior and student responsibility.”
Students who take safety precautions make the University a much safer place, Browne said.
“I think we are a safe campus, and students can maintain a lot of safety by their own personal actions and looking out for one another, as well,” she said.
