Auburn may be the Loveliest Village on the Plains, but crime is still a reality.
However, major crime is a rarity, with burglary and theft being the two most common crimes on campus, according to Susan McCallister, associate director of public safety information and education for the University.
She said many of these incidents are crimes of opportunity.
"It could be someone leaving a computer in the Student Center," McCallister said.
McCallister said the Auburn Police Division is involved in almost all crimes reported on campus. She said it is best to dial 911 as soon as possible to report the crime. She said the non-emergency number, (334) 501-3110, is a good option for someone who is just noticing a crime, such as a theft, after several days.
Paul Register, APD police chief, said there is a group of officers on campus 24 hours per day, seven days per week. He said they respond to several calls per day. He said officers patrol in cars, on bikes or on foot.
He said many of the calls are to give directions, for lost or stolen property or minor car accidents.
Register said lost or stolen items are often returned to their owner.
"A lot of our thefts we're able to solve because we do have a lot of officers on campus, but there's a network of cameras on campus," Register said. "Many times, we're able to determine who's responsible for thefts. So I really feel like we want to tell anybody that if you think about stealing something on campus, it would not be wise because the likelihood of being caught is really high."
Register said the APD has a community services division that teaches crime prevention and safety. He said the police are highly visible on campus, and the poles with a blue light provide a direct link to 911.
"If a student were to become a victim of a crime or need medical assistance, they can use one of those blue light poles and it rings directly to our communication center," Register said. "So if you pick up the phone on one of those blue lights, it automatically calls the 911 center here for the city of Auburn, and we can have an officer there."
Register said response time is typically 2-3 minutes.
Register cautioned against excessive alcohol consumption, and said the root of many crimes is heavy drinking.
"Just about every bad thing that happens, accidents, DUIs, all of those things, many times, we see alcohol at the root of those problems," Register said.
McCallister said the only crimes APD is not necessarily involved in are domestic violence, dating violence or sexual violence. She said victims, known as survivors, have the right to choose not to report these crimes to the police.
"We encourage everyone to report every time to police, but they do have a choice in those cases," McCallister said.
Kelley Taylor, director of the Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Office, said her office receives several sexual harassment and assault complaints per year. She said safety when consuming alcohol is a factor in preventing sexual violence.
"Watch how much you drink ... watch your drink, make sure you're holding onto it," Taylor said.
Taylor said it is also good to have a buddy when going out or even running at night.
"Intervention by a bystander can be the difference between having a sexual assault and not having a sexual assault," Taylor said.
In 2014, there were five cases of sexual assault, 14 cases of domestic or dating violence and 13 cases of stalking on campus, on properties adjacent to campus or other university-owned property, according to preliminary numbers provided by public safety. The full report for 2014 will be published in September.
McCallister said there are several ways for students to keep themselves and their property safe.
She suggested writing down serial numbers so lost or stolen items can be tracked easier. She said etching personalized number combinations into items help make them more easily identifiable. She also warned against leaving personal belongings in plain sight.
McCallister said traveling in groups, especially at night, and staying with people one knows and trusts will help reduce the chances of being a victim of crime.
"There's safety in numbers, that's what I'm saying," McCalister said.
Register said he encouraged everyone to immediately report suspicious activity and take advantage of night transit systems.
"Let us decide whether something is criminal or civil or suspicious or not," Register said. "We solve a lot of crimes because some citizen saw something that just didn't look right."
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