GTPD reports crime down 22.3 precent

The Georgia Tech Police Department (GTPD) saw a 22.3 percent reduction in overall crime from 2004 to 2005. However, incidents of robbery, aggravated assault and burglary all increased by at least 50 percent. GTPD attributes the overall reduction in crime to ongoing improvements in the police department and community awareness.

“[The reduction] could be because the community has called more, and I think that they are really taking a stand…and really being aware. We also have more officers on the road, because we have been able to hire more. The word has gotten out on the street not to go over to Tech because you’ll get caught,” said Carla Cook, GTPD public safety sergeant.

Cook said that at any given time ten to eleven officers are patrolling the campus. GTPD also increased their canine unit this past year. “The canine unit has really helped. We have three dogs now,” Cook said.

The greatest crime decrease, 100 percent, was in rapes, with no incidents reported. Motor vehicle thefts decreased by 40 percent, with only 24 incidents being reported in 2005. Larceny-thefts decreased 32 percent, with 443 total incidents reported.

There were four incidents of aggravated assault in 2005, up from one incident in 2004. Robberies increased by six, for a total of nine incidents in 2005. Both aggravated assaults and robberies decreased by over 40 percent from 2003 to 2004.

There were a total of 116 burglaries on campus, a 57 percent increase. Cook said GTPD is going to be working with housing and other areas of campus where burglaries seem to be occurring frequently to help reduce burglaries on campus.

“We’re always concerned [about an increase in crime], especially when those crimes are against people. The three [crimes] that went up, that is what we’re going to be focusing a lot more attention on,” Cook said.