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Data for HCC campus show crime is minimal

By LINDA CONNER LAMBECK, Connecticut Post
Saturday, August 21, 2004

BRIDGEPORT

Just in time for its peak registration period, Housatonic Community College has released statistics showing it to be virtually crime-free.

The downtown campus racked up a bunch of zeros in 2003 on crime statistics sent each year to the U.S. Department of Education under the Jeanne Clery Campus Security Act.

The act requires colleges and universities, between mid-August and mid-October, to report certain crimes that occurred the previous year. Those include murder, robbery, assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, arson and sexual offenses. Arrests for weapon, drug and liquor violation also must be reported.

Housatonic had none of those to report in 2002 or 2003, college officials said.

It did have a handful of misdemeanor larcenies in 2002 and 2003, which involved the disappearance of unattended textbooks and handbags.

There were two such incidents in 2003 and 10 in 2002, said Christopher Gough, director of public safety and security at Housatonic.

Those crimes are not reportable under the act. Gough said he included them in his report to show the campus is not completely crime-free.

" But the crimes that do exist aren't severe in nature. Nobody's stealing cars out of here. Nobody's having sexual assaults or anything like that. We're dealing with things like stolen books and trespasses," he said.

Gough called the campus one of the safest in the state.

" It's significant in that we're an open campus. We don't require that students have photo IDs or that they show an ID before entering the building. Anyone can come on campus," he said.

Gough, a State Police trooper with arrest powers, added that the public can have faith in the self-reported figures because the college could face an audit and fine if the government found the college wasn't reporting everything.

In 2002, the most recent year available, there were 4,431 instances of burglary on two-year college campuses nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Education.

In addition, there were 1,653 motor vehicle thefts, 518 assaults, 265 robberies, 131 cases of arson, 132 sexual offenses, and one case or murder.

Most colleges have yet to file their 2003 statistics.

Paul McNamara, dean of administration at Housatonic, called it a good idea to release the statistics now, so members of the community and prospective students will know how safe the campus is.

" I think any time one can let members of the community know any characteristic of college, important to do so," he said.

McNamara said security has been a primary concern for Housatonic since its move downtown in 1997.

Gough attributes the low crime rate to the willingness of faculty, staff and students to report suspicious behavior.

The college also has seven police officers and security guards on duty whenever the college is open.

It has an extensive video surveillance system. There are emergency intercoms throughout the college, its courtyard and parking garage that, with the touch of a button, put callers in touch with the security office.

Security personnel are available to accompany students to and from their cars upon request, Gough said.

Gough said Housatonic's security force is comparable to that of the state's other community colleges.

McNamara could not say how much the security costs. The security force includes both state employees and guards provided by a private contractor.

Linda Conner Lambeck, who covers regional education issues, can be reached at 330-6218.

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