Crime rate around campus at lowest rate in over 10 years

Danny Fogarty
Wed, 01 Jun 2022 23:28:22 +0000
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Crimes committed around campus fell to its lowest number in over 10 years during the first five months of 2022. Credit: Casey Cascaldo | Lantern File Photo

This story was updated July 31, 2022.?

Crimes committed in the campus area fell to its lowest number in over 10 years during the first five months of 2022.

From Jan. 1 to May 31, there were 48 instances of burglaries, robberies and assaults within a one-mile radius of campus, according to the LexisNexis Community Crime Map. The number is lower than every year during that same five-month period since 2009 — the earliest recorded data for the crime map.

University spokesperson Dan Hedman said in an email the university noticed this trend in fall of 2021 due to the increased safety precautions put in place at that time.?

“The safety of the Ohio State community is our top priority,” Hedman said.?

The Community Crime Map reports 36 burglaries, eight robberies and four assaults in the first five months of 2022.?

Hedman said University Police have partnered with the Columbus Division of Police to hire more officers to serve on-and-off campus. He said the university has also installed permanent lighting in the off-campus area and added additional cameras and license plate readers to on-campus parking garages.

Crime in the campus area hit its highest in 2010 when 190 burglaries, robberies and assaults occurred from Jan. 1 to May 31 of that year, according to the crime map. This number decreased by about 71 percent over the next decade, with 54 crimes occurring during that period in 2020.

However, during the five-month period in 2021, 96 crimes were reported — the highest single-year increase since 2009.These crimes prompted University President Kristina M. Johnson to announce a $2 million pledge over the next 10 years to increase safety around campus.?

Despite this pledge, many in the Buckeye community — such the Facebook group Buckeyes for a Safe Ohio State — raised concerns over crimes throughout the academic year. These included catalytic converter thefts, stolen cars in on-campus garages and a case of shots fired through the window of a student’s off-campus apartment.

Buckeyes for a Safe Ohio State did not respond by the time of publication.

Hedman said the university will continue to enhance safety in and around campus and will continue to monitor crime trends and adjust its precautions accordingly.

“We remain fully committed to refining and broadening our holistic approach to addressing crime, including education and community-wide engagement,” Hedman said.