COP team lowers number
of burglaries, sex crimes
A Eugene police officer talks candidly about crime and preven
tion. Burglaries, bike thefts and rape are common crimes around
the University area, and students often let themselves become
easy victims.
By STEVE KNIGHT
OfttwEmaraM
Living around the University can seem
deceptively safe
On the surface, it might appear that students
lead a life sans souci. One thinks of the parties,
hacky sack sessions between classes and
Socratic debates on herbicide-free grass
But within this tranquil setting lurks an inevi
table plethora of criminals
Eugene police officer Skip Stokes says bur
glary and bike theft are so prevalent on and
around the campus that a special police unit —
the Community Officer Patrol — was formed two
years ago to combat the problem
But the COP unit isn't a SWAT team waiting
for the bad guys and then swooping down, TV
style Stokes says crime prevention is COP'S
major function.
‘There's a misconception
that burglaries happen only to
the rich guy, but the opposite is
true. ’
"We try to prevent crime by educating
students on the many ways to avoid being crime
victims," he says
Stokes explains that he and three other
"COPs." who are all permanently assigned to the
University beat, try to contain crime by
periodically inspecting dorm and home security
systems and by giving crime prevention lectures
on campus The COP unit also provides an en
graver for students who want to mark personal
belongings
Stokes blames the high frequency of burg
laries in this area on the "high-density, mobile
population” living in the University neighborhood
“When you have a flood of pedestrian traffic
in an area where people don't know their neigh
bors, you're going to find a high crime rate.”
But Stokes says many burglaries are com
mitted by "someone living very close and knows
the victim " Still, others are victimized because
they believe only the well-to-do are burglarized,
he says
"There's a misconception that burglaries
happen only to the rich guy, but the opposite is
true It's the lower and middle socio-economic
class that get robbed, and usually because
they’re unable to pay to secure their homes,” he
says.
Stokes says students can avoid being bur
glary victims by shopping around for secure
apartments with deadbolt locks and an outside
area with plenty of visibility and lighting
People also should educate themselves to
the specific crimes being committed in their
neighborhoods and use "common sense preven
tive measures" to keep from being victimized, he
says
Along with burglaries and bike thefts, rape is
another crime that occurs frequently in the
University area, Stokes says He terms a large
percentage of sex offenses near campus as
’ acquaintance’’ or "blind date” rapes where the
victim knows the rapist
“Usually the rapist is someone a victim has
met in a bar," he says
Stokes says women students can avoid being
potential rape victims by traveling in groups and
going out to very public places
Most of the other rapes in this area happen in
the victim s home — and usually in an unsecure
home — and not out on the bike paths and dark
alleys where most people assume rapes occur, he
says
How has the COP team’s preventive crime
program affected these serious offenses?
"Incredibly well,” Stokes says While serious
A large percentage of sex
offenses near campus are
‘acquaintance’ or ‘blind date’
rapes where the victim knows
the rapist.
crimes have risen or remained steady in other
parts of the city, the University area has seen a
sharp reduction: a 35 percent decrease in re
sidential burglaries and a 74 percent decrease in
sex offenses
Aside from "preventive" crime fighting,
Stokes says COP members also act as witnesses
at mock law school trails, provide crime informa
tion to students and investigate parking com
plaints and loud parties
The COP phone number is 687-2677.
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