MUPD has Successfully Implemented Programs to Prevent Crime on Campus
In various parts of the country, crime is an epidemic. Different types of crimes are more prevalent in different parts of the country whether it is assault, robbery, drugs and alcohol, etc.
The “War on Crime” was coined by President Richard Nixon who wanted to help law enforcement combat crime.
The bottom line is crime is everywhere. Just ask Professor John Comiskey, assistant professor of criminal justice. Comiskey is a retired lieutenant of the New York City Police Department (NYPD).
During his time with the NYPD, his assignments included patrol, narcotics, investigations, and counter terrorism operations.
Comiskey stated that robbery and crimes against property where the most common crimes that he saw during his time with the NYPD. He also included that alcohol is a “nexus”, or connection to many of the crimes.
Comiskey said the use of a system called Comp Stat that is used to prevent crime. Comp Stat is a program that is still used today in many different areas of the country.
The Comp Stat system was used as a way of mapping crime and find crime patterns in certain areas so that the NYPD can be aware and deal with the crimes effectively.
The Comp Stat system was proven effective according to the crime data from nyc.gov. The data showed that from the year the Comp Stat system was put in place in 1990, the crime totals have gone down after each year.
The total number of murders in 1990 was 2,262. That number has steadily dropped down to 335 in 2013. The number of robberies has also dropped from 100,280 in 1990 to 19,128 in 2013.
The data also showed decreases in crimes such as rape, felony assault, burglary, and grand larceny. So what does this have to do with Monmouth University?
Although the University is no New York City, crime still occurs on campus. When Chief William McElrath of the Monmouth University Police Department (MUPD) was asked if crimes committed outside the University have found its way on it he replied, “Sadly, I think that any crime that can be committed off campus can take place on campus. Although Monmouth University is located in a safe area, and has low crime stats, MUPD trains and prepares for a wide variety of crimes.”
“We deal most often with vandalism and petty theft. The vandalism is often related to the abuse of alcohol,” according to McElrath.
McElrath’s statement compares to Comiskey’s statement of alcohol being a connection to crime.
On the other hand, McErath also spoke about the policies that the MUPD has put in place to prevent crimes on campus.
When asked about the policies on campus preventing crime McElrath replied, “Naturally, we patrol 24 hours a day, seven days a week. If we observe a noticeable pattern of crimes, we notify the campus community to be aware of it. We have increased security cameras on campus the last several years and these cameras have done a lot to help solve crimes that have taken place.”
When he mentioned the observations of noticeable patterns of crimes, this compared to the Comp Stat system that Professor Comiskey mentioned earlier. They both include the study of criminal patterns to deal with crime.
Another feature of crime prevention that McElrath mentioned was security cameras.
McElrath said, “Cameras have done a lot to assist us in preventing crime, and apprehending suspects when crimes have been committed.” Sophomore Jay Donofrio said that “I feel safe because of all of the campus patrol and the cameras all over.”
