University of South Carolina Libraries
The South Carolina Library - Campus Mai I Volume LXX.No. B'7 University of South Carolina, Columbia,S.C. June 18, 1980 v Special report rev< use p 511ro ifno-l jl ^ nm JL^I By Stephen Riddell Editor In Chief The majority of crimes committed on USC's campus are not solved, according to the special campus security report President James B. Holderman has been reviewing for six weeks. Holderman had been withholding the report but released it Monday after he received a supplemental report from George Key, head of Public Safety Security at USC. Univ. of Georgia s ct n / Georgia Tech's c/eara < 16.8% (JSC's clearance rate b TIIE REPORT REVEALS that campus police only solve by arrest four percent of the crimes reported on campus. "The low number of arrests and implied low clearance rate (cases solved) suggest that the camDus oolice do not comoare favorably with other law enforcement agencies in the state and that they are not operating effectively with regard to the identification of persons committing crimes and processing those persons for judicial action." In 1979, USC campus police reported 848 criminal offenses to the State Law Enforcement Division. Only 34 persons were convicted during that time period for a four percent clearance rate. In comparison at Georgia Tech ? an urban university comparable tn YlSir* in ci7P ? thprp u/p?rp? Q7H crimes committed during the oneyear period. Of those 970 crimes, 307 were cleared for a total clearance rate of 31 percent and 163 were cleared by arrest for a 16.8 percent clearance rate. Georgia Tech Administrative I U/MCiy QU Weather... Today: Occasional showers, > "*< ^ t * ) s > - '' ;V Thursday: Chance of show 80s. Lows in the 60s. :&H2i Wt| Iftllll i Friday-Sunday : Clearing si the90s. On the inside... The General Assembly to their own tenure boards c gg/s I K)lice ? Fficient Captain Jack Vickery said, "These i are rough figures but I think you r will find that most major 1 universities have about a 25-30 percent total clearance rate." A University of Georgia police spokesman said there were a total of 985 crimes reported in a oneyear period. Of those crimes, 231 were cleared by arrest for a 23.5 clearance by arrest percentage. Overall, 328 cases were cleared for \ a 33.3 percentage. THE COMMITTEE, which was ea ranee rate bv arrest < nee rate by arrest ? j y arrest ? 4% appointed by President Holderman in February 1980, said there were 486 reported incidences of theft at USC during the six-month period from October 1979 through March 1980. The report said 403 of the thefts were of private property and added that 83 thefts were of public property ? presumably belonging to USC. No estimates were made in fVirv n n f/\ 1 r? *? 1/von/\n ? nit; i VJJVM I. uo lu UUIlUk IUSKC3 111 private property theft, but the committee did report that the value of public porperty stolen was $23,544. Campus police made only seven arrests for larceny although there were 486 reported incidences. During its investigation, the committee conducted a survey of USC students, facultv and staff. Over 41 percent of those polled in the survey said they were dissatisfied with campus security. Only 21 percent felt campus security was satisfactory. Moreover, 50 percent of the respondents said they were dissatisfied with the number of officers on duty at night and with - >\ 1 Ibu... , Highs in the mid-80$. . Va ' < t \ " ^ ' . .. ' * '* trs 40 percent Highs in the . kits on Saturday. Highs in C t( i : 1 v'""'-. "V5t* * VV.-i'. '. \ " .. | j|?f?p? ' ''''' . ^'-^; ^>;'.vy.'s >' '.' ' ' * * * '-i*-' ' . 'v^'. :"-1 -. ;,f.:. . '. .; Xs" f- ..' . J", "-' . ' : ' ':' - ; '^ ; ;:y ' ' ;^:; V- " ^ 1 '' ' oj"^ V i-\ ||? HBg?: Campus policemen hand-cu A security report released Mi effectively at USC. the lighting around parking lots. mi The committee reported that its sai survey results "suggest that the fer campus police are not well alt regarded by the university com- the munity." The committee recommended a ar< reorganization of campus police hei along functional lines. The com- sig mittee found that under the sai current organizational framework, oth shifts operate independently. The in committee said "reports from pr< /if f i r?orc c n rt rt no f K n * U n V/* i I vv* o 0U55VO I Ilia 1 111c uu organization does not facilitate a De desirable chain of command or ( coordination and continuity bet- l<ri ween shift units." nu THE USC CAMPUS POLICE force is made up of 38 sworn officers, eight security officers and u 48 student dorm guards. Of the 38 ^ officers, 33 have previous military if] backgrounds, 35 are male, 28 a?t white, and 22 are 49 years of age or older. ne The report says that "from the th published heights and weights of wi the police officers, it appears that th approximately half of them are ca significantly overweight." The foi report goes on to say that "the ex health/fitness status of those of- re firprs is 1p?s than rmtimnl " George Key, head of Public th Safety Security at USC, submitted ha a supplemental report to the da president in response to the tn committee's report. In it he said, 1 "In the last six years, of 35 police th; employed, 28 have been in the 21-30 ex age bracket and none hired over la^ 42. Only seven had previous Cr ^ ^ 'isJB ^ ; '"V ;-l^: --- - - :"SHr BSKflv1 ^:. .._-1"-: V"."-lit ' 7 " '/.. HjP^: ff suspected purse-snatcher A, onday indicates campus po/ict litary experience." Key also r\ namnnt rknlino oii/lif n v* v.uiitpv?o J/VilVV wii VV? v.i^lll V nales during the la^t six years, p hough only two are currently on o ' force. o 'While a number of our officers c 3 in the upper brackets of weight ? ights charts, only two are f nificantly overweight," Key c d. "They, along with nine f lers, are currently participating s the 'Project Readiness' c Dgram for police officers con- ( cted by the Physical Education I partment." \nmniK twilipp hirpd aftpr .litn 1 ri r2 are required to undergo c indatory training for all p Campus police mad ireeny although there ycidences. w law enforcement officers at i e S.C. Criminal Justice Academy I thin the first year of service, but ( e committee found that 20 mpus police officers were on the i ivwk Krif 4\ 4 *4 r\ # a ri/4 ( i uviuic hum umc anu well" v :empted from the training < quirement. "As a result," the i mmittee said, "more than half of I e campus police sworn strength ? is not had the benefit of stan- i rdized formal law enforcement s fining." ; KEY COUNTERED by saying ? at although 20 officers were < empted from the training by i >v, all but two finished the < iminal Justice Academy. i fl^h 7^7r: 7. l%.-j; ndrew Scott on March 8. 3 are not deterring crime The campus police do not have a omprehensive written policy and irocedures manual stating policy n personnel administration, organization and operations. The ommittee found that "there is no >roscribed policy and procedure or responding to major crime listurbances or for the use of orce." There is an abbreviated tatement of policy, but there is ?nly one copy and it's on file in Campus Police Chief Marvin larrelson's office. Key said it is true that the lepartment does not have a omprehensive policy and >rocedures manual, but that they e seven arrests for were 486 reported Aill include money in their budget ror the publication and for upkeep )f it. The committee also recommended that the administration, Student Affairs and campus police develop written policy and procedures regarding the en forcement of regulations on student conduct and the assignment of responsibility. Key said he >aw a need for this type document and added that Student Affairs should handle the responsibility for lorm guards instead of having the responsibility split between campus police and Student Affairs is it is now.