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| University Police statistics: Larceny,
drug violations rise in 2003 |
by Tiffany
King
Staff Writer
Compared to 2002, crime on campus decreased in most categories
in 2003 according to an annual crime report published by
the Appalachian State University Police Department.
According to the crime report, robbery, aggravated assault,
rape, burglary and arson were all down from 2002.
Incidents of vandalism decreased overall, although cases
of vandalism in dorms were up to 48 cases from 41 in 2002.
Larceny on campus was also up from 2002.
“We are really glad that vandalism is down because
it costs the University money,” Chief of University
Police Gunther E. Doerr said.
Doerr said that because of the turnaround within the campus
population, it is hard to establish trends with crimes.
“The larceny cases that we had this year ranged from
book bags with personal items in them being stolen to parking
hang tags being taken out of cars. There is no real trend
to the crimes, and nothing major is being taken,” Doerr
said.
Despite the downward crime trend across campus, there has
been an increase in crime in some areas. Part Two offenses,
such as harassing phone calls, have risen.
“Normally the phone calls are guys prank-calling girls
late at night, and saying rude things or breathing heavily
into the phone. We are trying to find a way to stop this;
so far we have worked with the on-campus phone company and
have been able to get some of the numbers changed,”
Judy M. Haas, assistant director of Judicial Affairs said.
Despite some crime increases, most crimes have decreased.
According to the department’s statistical report, alcohol
violations reported to the police department did decrease
in 2003.
Haas said the number of alcohol violations that Student Judicial
Affairs has seen is probably much higher than what the University
Police statistics report says.
“We get all of the violations for alcohol in this office,
because many of them never involve the police,” Haas
said.
“Many times a student can get caught with alcohol by
their RA and get directly referred to our office. The police
are not usually involved in alcohol violations, unless it
is very serious,” Haas said.
The drug violations on campus have increased in the past
year.
“I would agree that drug numbers have definitely increased
in the past year, and alcohol numbers have stayed consistent
with previous years,” Haas said.
As for the drug of choice among Appalachian students, Haas
said she believes that although there are other drugs being
used, marijuana is probably the most prevalent.
“Marijuana comes on the forefront because it is easier
to catch than some other drugs, because you can smell it.
Therefore, it is more often noticed than most other drugs,”
Haas said.
Haas said that despite the growing problem with methamphetamines
in Watauga County, it did not seem to be a problem on campus.
“We don’t see methamphetamines on campus, because
it is a poor man’s drug, and our students are pretty
well off here at Appalachian,” Haas said.
Doerr also said that there is definitely a trend in the drug
use increase on campus and national drug statistics.
“The increase in drug use on campus is probably indicative
of kids who come to college and bring their high school drug
habits with them. It is not like these students are experimenting
for the first time with drugs. In America, people are trying
drugs at a younger age, so much of the students who are doing
it on campus have done it before,” Doerr said.
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